THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


MEREDITH  WILLSON  LIBRARY 
STANLEY  RING  COLLECTION 


MUSIC 
LIBRARY 


The 
Standard  Concert  Guide 


Uniform  With   This  Volume 


THE    STANDARD    OPERAS: 

Their  Plots,  their  Music,  and  their 
Composers.  By  GEORGE  P.  UPTON. 
New  Edition  (in  its  fourth  printing),  en- 
larged and  revised.  Profusely  illustrated, 
516  pages,  indexed.  #1.75. 

A.  C.  McCLURG   &    CO.,  Publishers 


JOHAXK  SEBASTIAN  BACH 


THE 

STANDARD    CONCERT 
GUIDE 

A  Handbook 

Of  the  Standard  Symphonies,  Oratorios 

Cantatas,  and  Symphonic  Poems 

For  the  Concert  Goer 

BY 
GEORGE    P.   UPTON 

Author  of  "  The  Standard  Operas,"   "  Life  of  Theodore  Thomas  " 
"  Woman  in  Music,"  etc.,  etc. 

PROFUSELY    ILLUSTRATED 


CHICAGO 

A.  C.  McCLURG   &   CO. 
1912 


COPYRIGHT 

A.  C.  MCCLURG  &  Co. 
1908 

ENTERED  AT  STATIONERS'  HALL,  LONDON,  ENGLAND 
Published  August  15,  1908 


Music 
Library 


1C 

LI  V 


PREFACE 


IT  is  not  the  purpose  of  the  author  of  "The  Standard 
Concert  Guide"  to  substitute  it  for  the  "Standard 
Oratorios,"  "Standard  Symphonies,"  and  " Standard  Can- 
tatas" which  have  been  so  long  at  the  service  of  musical 
students  and  music  lovers,  but  rather  to  combine  these 
works  in  a  single  volume  for  more  convenient  use  and 
thus  make  it  of  value  both  for  concert  and  library  pur- 
poses. To  this  end  the  analytical  text  of  the  older  works 
has  been  condensed  sufficiently  to  admit  of  its  presenta- 
tion in  one  convenient  volume,  and  some  new  matter  has 
been  added  to  bring  it  down  to  date,  including  notices 
of  works  by  Bruckner,  Cowen,  Dvorak,  Elgar,  Franck, 
Mackenzie,  Parker,  Parry,  Sinding,  Richard  Strauss,  and 
Tchaikovsky.  The  new  volume  is  also  enriched  with 
portraits  of  the  composers  whose  works  are  described  in 
it.  In  brief,  the  author  has  sought  to  present  a  compact 
and  handy  concert  guide  to  the  public  through  the  realm 
of  the  symphony,  symphonic  poem,  oratorio,  and  cantata. 
The  text  has  been  made  as  untechnical  as  possible,  so  as 
to  be  intelligible  to  those  unacquainted  with  the  science 
of  music,  and  the  work  is  offered  to  the  public  with  the 
hope  that  it  may  prove  useful  for  general  reference  and 
satisfactory  as  a  "  Standard  Concert  Guide." 

G.  P.  U. 

CHICAGO,  July  i,  igo8. 


1450410 


BACH  PAGE 

CHRISTMAS  ORATORIO i 

SAINT  MATTHEW  PASSION 3 

MAGNIFICAT  IN  D 7 

ICH  HATTE  VIEL  BEKtJMMERNISS 8 

GOTTES  ZEIT 9 

FESTA  ASCENSIONIS  CHRISTI 10 

EIN'  FESTE  BURG n 

BEETHOVEN 

THE  MOUNT  OF  OLIVES 13 

THE  RUINS  OF  ATHENS 15 

THE  GLORIOUS  MOMENT 17 

SYMPHONY,  No.  i,  C  MAJOR 18 

SYMPHONY,  No.  2,  D 26 

SYMPHONY,  No.  3  ("  EROICA  "),  E  FLAT 32 

SYMPHONY,  No.  4,  B  FLAT 39 

SYMPHONY,  No.  5,  C  MINOR 45 

SYMPHONY,  No.  6  ("  PASTORAL  "),  F 51 

SYMPHONY,  No.  7,  A  MAJOR 55 

SYMPHONY,  No.  8,  F 61 

SYMPHONY,  No.  9  ("CHORAL"),  D  MINOR 66 

CHORAL  FANTASIE,  C  MINOR 75 

BENEDICT 

SAINT  CECILIA 77 

BENNETT 

THE  WOMAN  OF  SAMARIA 79 

THE  MAY  QUBEN 82 


viii  CONTENTS 

BERLIOZ  PAGE 

THE  REQUIEM 84 

ROMEO  AND  JULIET 86 

THE  DAMNATION  OF  FAUST 88 

"  SYMPHONIE  FANTASTIQUE 91 

HAROLD  IN  ITALY 93 

BRAHMS 

THE  GERMAN  REQUIEM 96 

TRIUMPHLIED 97 

SYMPHONY,  No.  i,  C  MINOR 98 

SYMPHONY,  No.  2,  D  MAJOR 102 

SYMPHONY,  No.  3,  F  MAJOR 103 

SYMPHONY,  No.  4,  E  MINOR 105 

BRUCH 

FRITHJOF 107 

FAIR  ELLEN 109 

ODYSSEUS no 

BRUCKNER 

SYMPHONY,  No.  2,  C  MINOR 115 

SYMPHONY,  No.  4  ("  ROMANTIC  "),  E  FLAT 116 

SYMPHONY,  No.  7,  E  MAJOR 117 

SYMPHONY,  No.  9  (UNFINISHED),  D  MINOR      .    .    .    .  118 

BUCK 

DON  MUNIO 1 20 

THE  GOLDEN  LEGEND 122 

THE  VOYAGE  OF  COLUMBUS 124 

THE  LIGHT  OF  ASIA 126 

CORDER 

THE  BRIDAL  OF  TRIERMAIN 130 

COSTA 

ELI 132 

COWEN 

THE  SLEEPING  BEAUTY 136 

RUTH 138 

SYMPHONY,  No.  3  ("  SCANDINAVIAN  "),  C  MINOR  .    .    .  140 


CONTENTS  ix 

DVORAK  PAGE 

THE  SPECTRE'S  BRIDE 143 

STABAT  MATER 145 

SAINT  LUDMILA 147 

SYMPHONY,  No.  2,  D  MINOR 149 

SYMPHONY,  No.  3,  D  MAJOR 150 

SYMPHONY,  No.  5  ("  FROM  THE  NEW  WORLD"),  E  MINOR  152 

ELGAR 

THE  LIGHT  OF  LIFE 154 

THE  DREAM  OF  GERONTIUS 155 

THE  APOSTLES 157 

THE  KINGDOM 160 

FOOTE 

HIAWATHA 163 

FRANCK 

THE  BEATITUDES 165 

SYMPHONY  IN  D  MINOR 168 

LES  EOLIDES 169 

GADE 

COMALA 171 

SPRING  FANTASIE 172 

THE  ERL  KING'S  DAUGHTER 173 

THE  CRUSADERS 174 

SYMPHONY,  No.  i,  C  MINOR 176 

SYMPHONY,  No.  4,  B  FLAT 178 

GOETZ 

SYMPHONY,  No.  i,  F  MINOR 180 

GOLDMARK 

LAENDLICHK    HOCHZEIT    (COUNTRY   WEDDING)  SYM- 
PHONY    182 

GOUNOD 

THE  REDEMPTION 185 

MORS  ET  VITA 189 

HANDEL 

Acis  AND  GALATEA 194 

ALEXANDER'S  FEAST 196 


x  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

L'ALLEGRO /    •  196 

ISRAEL  IN  EGYPT 199 

SAUL 204 

SAMSON 208 

T^re  MESSIAH 212 

JUDAS  MACCABEUS 217 

DETTINGEN  TE  DEUM 221 

HATTON 

ROBIN  HOOD 223 

HAYDN 

ARIADNE 225 

THE  SEVEN  WORDS 226 

THE  CREATION 227 

THE  SEASONS 231 

SYMPHONY,  No.  i,  E  FLAT 235 

SYMPHONY,  No.  2,  D  MAJOR 238 

SYMPHONY,  No.  6  ("  SURPRISE  "),  G  MAJOR     ....  240 

SYMPHONY,  No.  9,  C  MINOR 242 

SYMPHONY,  No.  u  ("MILITARY"),  G  MAJOR    ....  244 

SYMPHONY,  No.  12,  B  FLAT .  246 

HOFMANN 

MELUSINA 249 

FRITHJOF  SYMPHONY 251 

LESLIE 

HOLYROOD 254 

LISZT 

THE  BELLS  OF  STRASBURG 257 

THE  LEGEND  OF  THE  HOLY  ELIZABETH 258 

LES  PRELUDES 263 

PROMETHEUS 267 

TASSO 269 

FESTKLANGK 270 

MAZEPPA 271 

HUNNENSCHLACHT 273 

THE  FAUST  SYMPHONY 274 

A  SYMPHONY  TO  DANTE'S  "DIVINA  COMMEDIA"    .    .  277 


XI 

MACFARREN  PACK 

SAINT  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST 279 

CHRISTMAS 281 

MACKENZIE 

THE  STORY  OF  SAYID 283 

THE  ROSE  OF  SHARON 285 

BETHLEHEM 289 

MASSENET 

MARY  MAGDALEN 291 

MENDELSSOHN 

THE  WALPURGIS  NIGHT 294 

ANTIGONE 295 

CEDIPUS  AT  COLONOS 297 

As  THE  HART  PANTS 299 

LAUDA  SION 300 

Music  TO  "  A  MIDSUMMER  NIGHT'S  DREAM  "  .    .    .    .  300 

SYMPHONY,  No.  3  ("SCOTCH"),  A  MINOR 303 

SYMPHONY,  No.  4  ("  ITALIAN  "),  A 305 

REFORMATION  SYMPHONY,  No.  5 307 

SAINT  PAUL 309 

HYMN  OF  PRAISE 312 

ELIJAH 314 

MOZART 

REQUIEM 320 

SYMPHONY,  No.  543  (KOCHEL),  E  FLAT 323 

SYMPHONY,  No.  550  (KOCHEL),  G  MINOR 326 

Jupif ER'  SYMPHONY,  No.  551  (KOCHEL),  C 328 

PAINE 

CEDIPUS  TYRANNUS 333 

THE  NATIVITY 335 

THE  REALM  OF  FANCY 336 

"  PHOEBUS,  ARISE  " 337 

SAINT  PETER 337 

THE  TEMPEST 341 

SYMPHONY,  No.  2  ("SPRING"),  A 341 


xii  CONTENTS 

PARKER,  H.  W.  PAGE 

KING  TROJAN 344 

HORA  NOVISSIMA 346 

PARKER,  J.  C.  D. 

REDEMPTION  HYMN 348 

PARRY 

THE  VISION  OF  LIFE 349 

RAFF 

SYMPHONY,  No.  3  ("  IM  WALDE  "),  F  MAJOR    ....  351 

SYMPHONY,  No.  5  ("LENORE") 353 

SYMPHONY,  No.  8  ("  FRIJHLINGSKLANGE  "),  A   ....  355 

RANDEGGER 

FRIDOLIN 358 

RHEINBERGER 

TOGGENBURG 361 

WALLENSTEIN,  TONE  POEM 362 

ROMBERG 

LAY  OF  THE  BELL 365 

ROSSINI 

STABAT^MATER 368 

RUBINSTEIN 

THE  TOWER  OF  BABEL 370 

PARADISE  LOST 373 

SYMPHONY,  No.  2  ("  OCEAN  "),  C  MAJOR '  374 

SYMPHONY,  No.  4  ("  DRAMATIC"),  .D  MINOR    ....  377 

SAINT-SAENS 

CHRISTMAS  ORATORIO 380 

ROUET  D'OMPHALE 381 

PHAETON 381 

DANSE  MACABRE 382 

SYMPHONY,  No.  3,  A  MINOR 383 

SYMPHONY,  No.  5,  C  MINOR 384 


CONTENTS  xiii 

SCHUBERT  PAGE 

MIRIAM'S  WAR  SONG 387 

SYMPHONY,  No.  8  (UNFINISHED),  B  MINOR 388 

SYMPHONY,  No.  9,  C  MAJOR 389 

SCHUMANN 

ADVENT  HYMN 392 

THE  PILGRIMAGE  OF  THE  ROSE 393 

THE  MINSTREL'S  CURSE 393 

PARADISE  AND  THE  PERI 394 

SYMPHONY,  No.  i,  B  FLAT 398 

SYMPHONY,  No.  2,  C  MAJOR 400 

SYMPHONY,  No.  3  ("  RHENISH"),  E  FLAT 402 

SYMPHONY,  No.  4,  D  MINOR 404 

SINDING 

SYMPHONY  IN  D  MINOR 407 

SMART 

THE  BRIDE  OF  DUNKERRON 409 

KING  RENE'S  DAUGHTER 410 

SPOHR 

THE  LAST  JUDGMENT 412 

SYMPHONY,  No.  4  ("  CONSECRATION  OF  SOUND  "),  F   .  4^4 

STANFORD 

SYMPHONY,  No.  3  ("IRISH"),  F  MINOR 416 

STRAUSS 

DON  JUAN 418 

MACBETH 419 

TOD  UND  VERKLARUNG 420 

TILL  EULENSPIEGEL 420 

THUS  SPAKE  ZARATHUSTRA 421 

DON  QUIXOTE 422 

EIN  HEI.DENI.EBEN 423 

SlNFONIA  DOMESTICA 424 

SULLIVAN 

ON  SHORE  AND  SEA 425 

THE  GOLDEN  LEGEND 426 


xiv  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

THE  PRODIGAL  SON 428 

THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD 429 

SYMPHONY,  No.  i,  E  MINOR 433 

TCHAIKOVSKY 

SYMPHONY,  No.  2,  C  MINOR 435 

SYMPHONY,  No.  4,  F  MINOR 436 

SYMPHONY,  No.  5,  E  MINOR 438 

SYMPHONY,  No.  6  ("  PATHETIQUE"),  B  MTNOR     .    .    .  439 

SYMPHONIC  POEM,  AFTER  BYRON'S  "MANFRED"     .    .  441 

VERDI 

THE  MANZONI  REQUIEM 443 

VOLKMANN 

SYMPHONY,  No.  i,  D  MINOR 446 

WAGNER 

LOVE  FEAST  OF  THE  APOSTLES 448 

WEBER 

JUBILEE  CANTATA 450 


APPENDIX 

THE  ORCHESTRA 453 

PROMINENT  MUSICAL  ORGANIZATIONS 458 

INDEX 465 

INDEX   OF   PRINCIPAL  NUMBERS 475 


PORTRAITS 


PAGE 
PORTRAIT  OF  JOHANN  SEBASTIAN  BACH     ....    Frontispiece 

PORTRAIT  OF  LUDWIG  VAN  BEETHOVEN 14 

PORTRAIT  OF  SIR  JULIUS  BENEDICT 77 

PORTRAIT  OF  WILLIAM  STERNDALE  BENNETT 80 

PORTRAIT  OF  HECTOR  BERLIOZ 86 

PORTRAIT  OF  JOHANNES  BRAHMS 98 

PORTRAIT  OF   MAX  BRUCH 108 

PORTRAIT  OF  ANTON  BRUCKNER 116 

PORTRAIT  OF  DUDLEY  BUCK 124 

PORTRAIT  OF  FREDERICK  CORDER 130 

PORTRAIT  OF  SIR  MICHAEL  COSTA 134 

PORTRAIT  OF  FREDERIC  H.  COWEN 138 

PORTRAIT  OF  ANTONIN  DVORAK 146 

PORTRAIT  OF  SIR  EDWARD  ELGAR 156 

PORTRAIT  OF  ARTHUR  FOOTE 163 

PORTRAIT  OF  CESAR  AUGUSTE  FRANCK 168 

PORTRAIT  OF  NIELS  WILHELM  GADE 174 

PORTRAIT  OF  HERMANN  GOETZ 180 

PORTRAIT  OF  ROBERT  VOLKMANN 180 

PORTRAIT  OF   ANDREAS  ROMBERG 180 

PORTRAIT  OF  KARL  GOLDMARK 183 

PORTRAIT  OF  CHARLES  FRANC.OIS  GOUNOD 190 

PORTRAIT  OF  GEORGE  FREDERICK  HANDEL 202 

PORTRAIT  OF  MADAME  NOVELLO 208 

PORTRAIT  OF  MADAME  MARA 214 

PORTRAIT  OF  JOSEF  HAYDN 226 

PORTRAIT  OF  MR.  EDWARD  LLOYD 232 


xvi  PORTRAITS 

PAGE 

PORTRAIT  OF  HEINRICH  HOFMANN 250 

PORTRAIT  OF  H.  D.  LESLIE 255 

PORTRAIT  OF  FRANZ  LISZT 266 

PORTRAIT  OF  SIR  GEORGE  ALEXANDER  MACFARREN      .    .  280 

PORTRAIT  OF  SIR  ALEXANDER  MACKENZIE 286 

PORTRAIT  OF  JULES  MASSENET 292 

PORTRAIT  OF  MADAME  NOVELLO 300 

PORTRAIT  OF  FELIX  MENDELSSOHN  BARTHOLDY    ....  308 

PORTRAIT  OF  WOLFGANG  MOZART 322 

PORTRAIT  OF  JOHN  K.  PAINE 336 

PORTRAIT  OF  HORATIO  W.  PARKER 344 

PORTRAIT  OF  JAMES  C.  D.  PARKER 348 

PORTRAIT  OF  SIR  CHARLES  H.  H.  PARRY 350 

PORTRAIT  OF  JOACHIM  RAFF 354 

PORTRAIT  OF  ALBERTO  RANDEGGER 358 

PORTRAIT  OF  JOSEPH  RHEINBERGER 362 

PORTRAIT  OF  GIOACHINO  ROSSINI 368 

PORTRAIT  OF  ANTON  RUBINSTEIN 374 

PORTRAIT  OF  CAMILLE  SAINT-SAENS .  382 

PORTRAIT  OF  FRANZ  SCHUBERT 388 

PORTRAIT  OF  ROBERT  SCHUMANN 398 

PORTRAIT  OF  CHRISTIAN  SINDING 407 

PORTRAIT  OF  SIR  GEORGE  T.  SMART 410 

PORTRAIT  OF  Louis  SPOHR 414 

PORTRAIT  OF  CHARLES  V.  STANFORD 416 

PORTRAIT  OF  RICHARD  STRAUSS 420 

PORTRAIT  OF  SIR  ARTHUR  SULLIVAN 426 

PORTRAIT  OF  PETER  TCHAIKOVSKY 436 

PORTRAIT  OF  GIUSEPPE  VERDI 444 

PORTRAIT  OF  RICHARD  WAGNER 448 

PORTRAIT  OF  CARL  WEBER 450 


THE 

STANDARD   CONCERT 
GUIDE 


BACH 

1685-1750 
THE  CHRISTMAS  ORATORIO 

THE  "  Christmas  Oratorio  "  was  written  by  Bach  in 
1734,  the  subject  being  taken  from  texts  in  Luke 
and  Matthew  pertaining  to  the  Nativity.  It  is  not,  as  its 
name  would  suggest,  a  work  to  be  performed  at  a  single 
hearing,  but  a  composition  divided  into  six  parts  of  divine 
service,  arranged  for  the  three  days  of  Christmas,  New 
Year's  Day,  New  Year's  Sunday  and  the  Epiphany,  each 
part  being  a  complete  cantata  for  each  day,  and  all  linked 
together  by  chorales  which  give  it  unity  of  subject  and 
design.  It  is  not  an  oratorio  in  the  modern  sense ;  but 
the  justification  of  its  appellation  as  such  is  to  be  found  in 
Bach's  own  title,  "  Oratorium  tempore  nativitatis  Christi." 
As  the  entire  six  parts  are  very  rarely  given,  a  general 
review  of  their  character  will  better  suit  the  reader's  pur- 
pose than  a  detailed  review  of  each.  The  entire  vocal 
score  embraces  no  less  than  sixty-four  numbers.  In  the 
first  three  parts,  the  connecting  narratives,  recited  by  the 
Evangelist,  are  assigned  to  tenor  and  bass,  and  declare 
the  events  associated  with  the  birth  of  our  Lord,  —  the 
journey  to  Bethlehem,  the  birth  in  the  manger,  the  joy  of 
Mary,  and  the  thanksgiving  over  the  advent  of  the  Lord, 
—  the  choral  parts  being  sung  by  the  shepherds.  The 
fourth  part  relates  the  naming  of  Jesus,  and  outlines  His 

i 


2      STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

career  in  a  grand  expression  of  faith  and  hope.  The  fifth 
illustrates  the  visit  of  the  three  kings,  the  anxiety  of 
Herod  when  he  hears  of  the  advent  of  the  Lord,  and  the 
assurances  given  him  to  allay  his  fears.  In  the  sixth,  the 
visitors  depart  to  frustrate  Herod's  designs,  and  choruses 
of  rejoicing  over  the  triumph  of  the  Lord  close  the  work., 
The  first  two  parts  are  the  only  ones  which  need  spe- 
cial notice  for  the  purposes  of  the  concert-goer.  The 
first  opens  with  a  brilliant  prelude,  introduced  by  the 
drum,  which  Bach,  like  Beethoven,  sometimes  treated  as 
a  solo  instrument.  It  preludes  the  narrative  bidding  Zion 
prepare  to  meet  her  Lord,  —  a  simple,  touching  melody, 
followed  by  the  chorale  ("  How  shall  I  fitly  meet  Thee 
and  give  Thee  welcome  due?"),  set  to  the  old  Passion- 
hymn  ("O  Haupt  voll  Blut  und  Wunden"),  —  a  solemn 
and  even  mournful  melody,  which  at  first  appears  incon- 
gruous in  the  midst  of  so  much  jubilation.  It  is  the  same 
melody  which  Bach  frequently  uses  in  different  harmonic 
forms  in  his  "  St.  Matthew  Passion,"  and  is  introduced 
here  in  the  midst  of  the  Christmas  festivity  for  a  special 
purpose.  The  composer's  evident  intention  was  to  im- 
press the  hearer  with  the  fact  that  the  object  of  the  divine 
advent  on  earth  was  the  Passion  of  our  Lord.  At  the 
close  of  the  work  the  same  chorale  appears,  but  with 
another  meaning.  It  is  there  an  exultant  expression  of 
Christ's  victory  over  sin  and  death.  As  the  chorale  dies 
away,  the  narrative  is  resumed,  leading  up  to  another  cho- 
rale ("For  us  to  earth  He  cometh  poor"),  combined 
with  an  orchestral  symphony  and  bass  recitative.  The 
next  number  is  a  bass  aria  with  trumpet  accompaniment 
("Lord  Almighty,  King  all  glorious")  and  is  followed  by 
a  chorale  set  to  the  words  of  Luther's  Christmas  hymn, 
which  also  occurs  in  other  parts  of  the  work,  differently 
harmonized  to  suit  the  nature  of  the  situation,  and  with 
which  the  first  part  closes. 


BACH  3 

The  second  part  opens  with  one  of  the  most  delightful 
instances  of  Bach's  orchestration,  a  pastoral  symphony, 
with  which  the  Theodore  Thomas  Orchestra  has  made 
audiences  familiar  in  this  country.  Like  the  symphony  of 
the  same  style  in  Handel's  "  Messiah,"  it  is  simple,  grace- 
ful, and  idyllic  in  character,  and  pictures  the  shepherds 
watching  their  flocks  by  night  on  the  plains  of  Bethlehem. 
At  its  conclusion  the  Evangelist  resumes  his  narrative,  fol- 
lowed by  the  chorale  ("  Break  forth,  O  beauteous,  heav- 
enly light"),  preluding  the  announcement  of  the  angel 
("Behold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings").  It  is  followed  by 
the  bass  recitative  ("What  God  to  Abraham  revealed,  He 
to  the  shepherds  doth  accord  to  see  fulfilled"),  and  a 
brilliant  aria  for  tenor  ("Haste,  ye  shepherds,  haste  to 
meet  Him").  The  Evangelist  gives  them  the  sign,  fol- 
lowed by  the  chorale  which  closed  the  first  part,  in  another 
form  ("Within  yon  gloomy  manger  lies").  The  bass 
recitative  ("O  haste  ye  then")  preludes  the  exquisite 
cradle-song  for  alto  ("Sleep,  my  beloved,  and  take  thy 
repose"),  —  a  number  which  can  hardly  be  excelled  in 
the  sweetness  and  purity  of  its  melody  or  in  the  exquisite- 
ness  of  its  instrumentation.  This  lovely  song  brings  us  to 
the  close,  which  is  an  exultant  shout  from  the  multitude 
of  the  heavenly  host,  singing  "Glory  to  God  in  the 
highest." 

THE  SAINT  MATTHEW  PASSION 

Bach  wrote  five  Passions,  —  the  "  St.  John,"  probably 
written  in  1723,  and  first  performed  in  the  following  year; 
another,  which  has  been  lost,  in  1725;  the  "  St.  Matthew," 
in  1729  ;  the  "St.  Mark,"  in  1731 ;  and  the  "St.  Luke," 
in  1734.  Of  these  only  two  are  now  known,  —  the  "St. 
John  "  and  "  St.  Matthew  "  —  of  which  the  latter  is  incom- 
parably the  greatest.  It  was  produced  for  the  first  time  at 
the  afternoon  service  on  Good  Friday,  1729,  but  was  not 


4      STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

heard  again  until  the  young  Mendelssohn  revived  it  in 
Berlin,  March  12,  1829. 

The  Passion  is  written  in  two  parts,  between  which  the 
sermon  intervened  in  olden  times.  It  includes  portions  of 
chapters  xxvi.  and  xxvii.  of  the  Gospel  according  to  Saint 
Matthew,  the  remainder  of  the  text  being  composed  of 
hymns  furnished  to  Bach  by  Christian  Friedrich  Henrici, 
who  was  assisted  in  the  compilation  by  the  composer  him- 
self. The  dramatis  persona  are  Jesus,  Judas,  Peter,  Pilate, 
the  Apostles,  and  the  People,  or  Turbee,  and  the  narrative 
is  interpreted  by  reflections  addressed  to  Jesus,  forming 
two  choruses  ("  The  daughter  of  Zion "  and  "  The 
faithful  ").  They  are  sometimes  given  by  the  chorus,  and 
sometimes  by  single  voices.  The  chorales  are  selected 
from  those  which  were  in  common  use  in  the  Lutheran 
Church.  The  Gospel  text  is  in  recitative  form  throughout, 
the  part  of  the  Evangelist,  or  narrator,  being  assigned  to  a 
tenor  voice,  while  those  of  the  persons  incidentally  intro- 
duced are  given  to  other  singers.  In  the  dialogue,  where- 
ever  the  words  of  Jesus  occur,  the  accompaniment  is 
furnished  by  a  string  quartette,  which  serves  to  distinguish 
them  from  the  others,  and  invests  them  with  a  peculiar 
gentleness  and  grace.  The  incidental  choruses,  sung  by 
the  people  and  the  Apostles,  are  short  and  vivacious  in 
character,  many  of  them  being  in  madrigal  form.  The 
chorales,  fifteen  in  number,  as  has  already  been  said,  were 
taken  from  the  Lutheran  service.  One  of  them,  which 
Bach  also  liberally  used  in  his  "Christmas  Oratorio,"  be- 
ginning "Acknowledge  me,  my  keeper,"  appears  five 
times  in  the  progress  of  the  work,  forming  the  keynote  of 
the  church  sentiment,  and  differently  harmonized  on  each 
occasion.  Another  ("O  blessed  Jesus")  is  twice  used, — 
once  where  the  Saviour  announces  that  he  will  be  crucified 
after  the  Feast  of  the  Passover,  when  the  whole  congrega- 
tion sings  it,  and  again  in  the  scene  at  Gethsemane,  sung 


BACH  5 

by  select  choirs.  The  whole  work  is  written  for  double 
chorus,  the  two  choruses  singing  the  harmony  of  the  chor- 
ales, accompanied  by  the  instruments,  while  the  congre- 
gation sing  the  tune  in  unison.  Each  chorus  has  its  own 
orchestra  and  its  own  organ  accompaniment.  The  double 
orchestra  is  composed  of  oboes,  flutes,  and  stringed  instru- 
ments. Drums  and  brass  instruments  are  not  used,  the 
sentiment  of  the  work,  in  Bach's  estimation,  not  being 
fitted  for  them,  sweetness  and  expressiveness  of  tone  rather 
than  power  being  required. 

The  first  part  opens  with  a  reflection  sung  by  double 
chorus  ("Come,  ye  daughters,  weep  for  anguish"),  the 
first  exhorting  believers  to  weep  over  the  sinful  world,  the 
second  responding  with  brief  interrogations,  and  at  last 
taking  part  in  the  sorrowful  strains  of  the  first.  Interwoven 
with  these  is  an  independent  instrumental  melody,  the 
whole  crowned  with  a  chorale  sung  by  the  sopranos  ("  O 
Lamb  of  God  all  blameless  !  "),  followed  by  still  another 
("Say,  sweetest  Jesus"),  which  reappears  in  other  parts 
of  the  work  variously  harmonized.  The  double  chorus  and 
chorales  form  the  introduction,  and  are  followed  by  rec- 
itative and  a  chorale  ("Thou  dear  Redeemer")  and  a 
pathetic  aria  for  contralto  ("Grief  and  pain"),  relating 
the  incident  of  the  woman  anointing  the  feet  of  Jesus. 
The  next  number  is  an  aria  for  soprano  ("Only  bleed, 
Thou  dearest  heart"),  which  follows  the  acceptance  by 
Judas  of  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  and  which  serves  to 
intensify  the  grief  in  the  aria  preceding  it.  The  scene  of 
the  Last  Supper  ensues,  and  to  this  number  Bach  has  given 
a  character  of  sweetness  and  gentleness,  though  its  color- 
ing is  sad.  As  the  disciples  ask  "  Lord,  is  it  I  ?  "  another 
chorale  is  sung  ("  'T  is  I  !  my  sins  betray  me  ").  Recita- 
tive of  very  impressive  character,  conveying  the  divine 
injunctions,  leads  up  to  a  graceful  and  tender  aria  for  so- 
prano ("Never  will  my  heart  refuse  Thee"),  one  of  the 


6     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

simplest  and  clearest,  and  yet  one  of  the  richest  and  most 
expressive  melodies  ever  conceived.  After  further  recita- 
tive and  the  chorale  ("  I  will  stay  here  beside  Thee  "),  we 
are  introduced  to  the  scene  in  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane, 
which  is  characterized  by  a  number  of  extraordinary  beauty 
and  strength  in  its  construction.  It  is  introduced  by  a 
short  instrumental  prelude,  Zion,  represented  by  the  tenor 
voice,  and  the  Believers  by  the  chorus,  coming  in  after  a 
few  bars  and  alternating  with  extraordinary  vocal  effect. 
It  fitly  prepares  the  way  for  the  two  great  movements  which 
close  the  first  part,  an  aria  for  soprano  and  alto  ("  Alas  ! 
my  Jesus  now  is  taken")  and  a  double  chorus  ("Ye 
lightnings,  ye  thunders  !  ").  The  two  solo  voices  join  in  a 
lament  of  a  most  touching  nature,  accompanied  by  the 
chorus  exclaiming  in  short,  hurried  phrases,  "  Let  Him  go  ! 
Hold !  Bind  Him  not ! "  until  at  last  the  double  chorus 
bursts  in  like  a  tempest,  accompanied  with  the  full  power 
of  the  instruments,  expressing  the  world's  indignation  at 
the  deed  which  is  to  be  committed.  The  first  part 
concludes  with  the  chorale  "  O  man,  bewail  thy  great 
sin  ! " 

The  second  part  opens  with  an  aria  for  contralto,  full 
of  the  deepest  feeling  ("Alas  !  now  is  my  Jesus  gone"). 
The  trial  scene  before  Caiaphas  and  the  threefold  denial 
of  Peter  follow,  leading  up  to  the  expressive  aria  for  alto, 
with  violin  obligato  ("  Oh,  pardon  me,  my  God  !  ").  The 
work  now  rapidly  progresses  to  its  beautiful  finale.  The 
soprano  recitative  in  response  to  Pilate's  question  ("  He 
hath  done  only  good  to  all "),  the  aria  for  soprano 
("  From  love  unbounded  "),  the  powerful  contralto  recita- 
tive ("  Look  down,  O  God  !  "),  the  chorale  ("  O  Head,  all 
bruised  and  wounded  !"),  the  contralto  aria  with  chorus 
("Look  where  Jesus  beckoning  stands"),  and  the  peace- 
ful, soothing  recitative  for  bass  ("  At  eventide,  cool  hour 
of  rest")  are  the  principal  numbers  that  occur  as  we 


BACH  7 

approach  the  last  sad  but  beautiful  double  chorus  of  the 
Apostles  ("  Around  Thy  tomb  here  sit  we  weeping"), 
—  a  close  as  peaceful  as  the  setting  of  the  sun ;  for  the 
tomb  is  but  the  couch  on  which  Jesus  is  reposing,  and 
the  music  dies  away  in  a  slumber-song  of  most  exalted 
beauty. 

THE  MAGNIFICAT  IN  D 

The  Magnificat  in  D,  —  known  as  the  "Great  Magnifi- 
cat," to  distinguish  it  from  the  smaller,  —  is  considered 
one  of  the  grandest  illustrations  of  Bach's  genius.  It  was 
composed  for  Christmas  Day,  1723.  For  the  occasion  of 
this  festival  Bach  expanded  the  Biblical  text  into  four 
vocal  numbers;  but  in  describing  the  work  it  is  only 
necessary  to  give  it  as  it  is  now  generally  sung. 

The  work  is  written  for  a  five-part  chorus,  with  organ 
and  orchestral  accompaniment.  After  a  concerted  intro- 
duction, foreshadowing  the  general  character  of  the  musk, 
it  opens  with  the  chorus  ("Magnificat  anima  mea"),  in 
fugal  form,  worked  up  with  that  wonderful  power  of  con- 
struction for  which  Bach  is  so  renowned  among  all  com- 
posers. It  is  followed  by  an  aria  for  second  soprano  ("  Et 
exultavit  Spiritus  meus :  in  Deo  salutari  meo"),  which  is 
in  the  same  key  and  has  the  same  general  feeling  as  the 
opening  chorus,  that  of  Christmas  rejoicing,  and  in  turn  is 
followed  by  an  aria  for  first  soprano  ("  Quia  respexit  hu- 
militatem  ancillae  suae  "),  leading  directly  to  the  chorus 
which  takes  up  the  unfinished  words  of  the  soprano 
("Omnes  generationes  "),  each  part  overlaying  the  other 
as  it  enters,  and  closing  in  canon  form  in  grave  and  co- 
lossal harmony.  Its  next  number  is  an  aria  for  bass 
("  Quia  fecit  mihi  magna  "),  of  a  simple  and  joyous  char- 
acter, followed  by  a  melodious  duet  for  alto  and  tenor 
("Et  misericordia"),  with  violin  and  flute  accompani- 
ment, setting  forth  the  mercy  of  God,  in  contrast  with 


which  the  powerful  and  energetic  chorus  ("  Fecit  poten- 
tiam")  which  succeeds  it  is  very  striking  in  its  effect. 
Two  beautiful  arias  for  tenor  ("  Deposuit,  potentes  de 
sede")  and  alto  ("Esurientes  implevit  bonis")  follow, 
the  latter  being  exquisitely  tender  in  its  expression,  and 
lead  to  the  terzetto  ("  Suscepit  Israel  puerum  suum :  re- 
cordatus  misericordise  suse  "),  arranged  in  chorale  form, 
and  very  plaintive  and  even  melancholy  in  style.  A  stupen- 
dous five-part  fugue  ("  Sicut  locutus  est")  follows  it  and 
leads  to  the  triumphant  "Gloria,"  closing  the  work,  a 
chorus  of  extraordinary  majesty  and  power. 

ICH    HATTE   VTJEL   BEKUMMERNISS 

The  cantata  with  the  above  title,  best  known  in  Eng- 
lish as  "  My  Heart  was  Full  of  Heaviness,"  was  the  first 
sacred  piece  in  this  form  which  Bach  wrote.  Its  date  is 
1714,  in  which  year  he  was  living  at  Weimar.  It  was 
composed  for  the  third  Sunday  after  Trinity,  June  17,  and 
consists  of  eleven  numbers,  —  an  instrumental  prelude, 
four  choruses,  three  arias,  a  duet,  and  two  recitatives. 

The  prelude,  which  is  brief  and  quiet  in  character, 
introduces  the  opening  chorus  ("Deep  within  my  heart 
was  sorrowing  and  great  affliction  "),  which  in  turn  leads 
to  the  first  aria  ("  Sighing,  mourning,  sorrow,  tears  waste 
away  my  troubled  heart  "),  a  tender  and  beautiful  number 
for  soprano,  with  oboe  and  string  accompaniment.  It  is 
followed  by  the  tenor  recitative  and  aria  ("Why  hast 
Thou,  O  my  God,  in  my  sore  need  so  turned  Thy  face 
from  me?"),  in  which  the  feeling  of  sorrow  is  intensified 
in  utterance.  The  chorus  ("Why,  my  soul,  art  thou 
vexed?"),  a  very  pathetic  number,  closes  the  mournful 
but  beautiful  first  part  of  the  cantata. 

The  second  part  is  more  tranquil  and  hopeful.  It 
opens  with  a  duet  for  soprano  and  bass,  the  two  parts 


BACH  9 

representing  the  soul  and  Christ,  and  sustaining  a  most 
expressive  dialogue,  leading  up  to  a  richly  harmonized 
chorus  (" O  my  soul,  be  content  and  be  thou  peaceful"), 
in  which  a  chorale  is  introduced  with  consummate  skill. 
A  graceful  tenor  aria  with  a  delightful  and  smoothly  flow- 
ing accompaniment  ("  Rejoice,  O  my  soul,  change  weep- 
ing to  smiling ")  follows  and  leads  to  the  final  number, 
which  is  based  on  the  same  subject  as  that  of  the  "  Halle- 
lujah "  in  Handel's  "Messiah."  All  the  voices  give  out 
the  words  "  The  Lamb  that  for  us  is  slain,  to  Him  will  we 
render  power  and  glory,"  with  majestic  effect :  after  which 
the  solo  bass  utters  the  theme,  "  Power  and  glory  and 
praise  be  unto  Him  forevermore,"  introducing  the  "  Hal- 
lelujah," which  closes  the  work  in  a  burst  of  tremendous 
power,  by  voices  and  instruments. 

GOTTES  ZEIT 

During  the  first  half  of  the  period  in  which  Bach  resided 
at  Weimar,  occupying  the  position  of  court  and  chamber 
musician  to  Duke  Wilhelm  Ernst,  he  wrote  three  cantatas 
in  the  old  church  form  which  are  notable  as  the  most 
perfect  of  that  kind  extant.  The  third  and  most  famous 
of  the  trio,  "  Gottes  Zeit  ist  die  allerbeste  Zeit "  ("  God's 
time  is  the  best  of  all "),  is  generally  known  as  the  "  Actus 
Tragicus,"  and  sometimes  as  the  "  Mourning  Cantata." 

The  introduction  to  the  work  is  a  quiet,  tender  move- 
ment in  sonata  form,  which  gives  out  some  of  the  themes 
in  the  middle  of  the  cantata.  The  opening  chorus  ("  God's 
own  time  is  the  best,  ever  best  of  all  ")  is  very  descriptive 
in  character,  beginning  with  a  slow  and  solemn  movement, 
then  passing  to  a  quick  fugue,  and  closing  with  phrases  of 
mournful  beauty  to  suit  the  last  sentence  of  the  text.  A 
tenor  solo  follows,  set  to  the  words  "  O  Lord,  incline  us 
to  consider  that  our  days  are  numbered,"  and  accompa- 
nied by  the  flutes,  leads  into  a  mournful  aria  for  the  bass, 


io     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

which  forms  the  second  part  of  the  tenor  solo  ("  Set  in 
order  thine  house,  for  thou  shalt  die  and  not  live").  The 
choir  resumes  with  a  new  theme  ("  It  is  the  old  decree, 
man,  thou  art  mortal  ")  in  which  the  lower  voices  carry  a 
double  fugue,  the  soprano  sings  alone  ("  Yea,  come,  Lord 
Jesus  "),  and  the  instruments  have  the  melody  of  the  old 
hymn,  "I  have  cast  all  my  care  on  God."  The  alto 
voice  follows  with  the  words  spoken  on  the  cross  ("  Into 
Thy  hands  my  spirit  I  commend  "),  to  which  the  bass 
replies  in  an  arioso  ("  Thou  shalt  be  with  Me  to-day  in 
Paradise  ").  The  next  number  is  a  chorale  ("  In  joy  and 
peace  I  pass  away  whenever  God  willeth")  sung  by  the 
alto,  the  bass  continuing  its  solo  at  the  same  time  through 
a  portion  of  the  chorale.  The  final  chorus  is  the  so-called 
fifth  Gloria  ("  All  glory,  praise,  and  majesty"). 

FESTA  ASCENSIONIS  CHRISTI 

The  cantata  beginning  with  the  words  "  Wer  da  glaubet 
und  getauftwird"  ("Whoso  believeth  and  is  baptised"), 
commonly  known  as  the  Ascension  Cantata,  was  written 
for  four  voices,  with  accompaniment  of  two  oboes,  two 
violins,  viola,  and  "continuo,"  —  the  latter  word  implying  a 
bass  part,  the  harmonies  indicated  by  figures  from  which 
the  organist  built  up  his  own  accompaniment. 

The  cantata  is  in  five  numbers.  A  short  prelude  of  a 
quiet  and  cheerful  character  introduces  the  stately  opening 
chorus  ("Who  believeth  and  obeyeth  will  be  blest  for- 
ever"). Another  brief  prelude  prepares  the  way  for  the 
brilliant  tenor  aria  ("  Of  love,  faith  is  the  pledge  and  to- 
ken "),  which  leads  up  to  the  chorale  ("  Lord  God,  my 
Father,  holy  One  "),  based  upon  the  old  chorale,  "  Wie 
schon  leucht  uns  der  Morgenstern  "  ("  How  brightly  shines 
the  morning  star  ").  The  next  number  is  a  short  recita- 
tive for  the  bass  voice  ("Ye  mortals,  hear,  all  ye  who 


BACH  ii 

would  behold  the  face  of  God  "),  and  leads  to  a  stately 
bass  aria  ("Through  faith  the  soul  has  eagle's  pinions"). 
The  cantata  closes,  after  the  customary  manner  of  Bach, 
with  a  strong,  earnest  chorale  ("  Oh,  give  me  faith,  my 
Father  !  ")  in  plain,  solid  harmony,  for  the  use  of  the  con- 
gregation, thus  forming  an  effective  devotional  climax  to 
the  work. 

EIN'  FESTE  BURG 

"  A  safe  stronghold  our  God  is  still, 

A  trusty  shield  and  weapon ; 
He  '11  help  us  clear  from  all  the  ill 

That  hath  us  now  o'ertaken. 
The  ancient  Prince  of  Hell 
Hath  risen  with  purpose  fell ; 
Strong  mail  of  craft  and  power 
He  weareth  in  this  hour. 

On  Earth  is  not  his  fellow. 

"  And  were  this  world  all  devils  o'er, 

And  watching  to  devour  us, 
We  lay  it  not  to  heart  so  sore, 

Not  they  can  overpower  us. 
And  let  the  Prince  of  111 
Look  grim  as  e'er  he  will, 
He  harms  us  not  a  whit ; 
For  why  ?     His  doom  is  writ, 

A  word  shall  quickly  slay  him." 

There  is  now  but  little  question  that  Martin  Luther 
not  only  wrote  the  words,  but  the  music  of  the  grand  old 
hymn,  the  first  and  third  stanzas  of  which,  taken  from 
Carlyle's  free  and  rugged  translation,  are  given  above. 
The  date  of  its  composition  is  a  matter  of  controversy ;  but 
it  is  clear  that  it  must  have  been  either  in  1529  or  1530, 
and  most  writers  agree  that  it  was  just  before  the  Diet  at 
Augsburg,  where  it  was  sung.  It  matters  little,  however, 
the  exact  year  in  which  the  sturdy  old  reformer  wrote 
the  hymn  which  has  stirred  the  human  heart  more  than 


iz     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

any  other.  It  is  indissolubly  connected  with  his  name, 
and  every  line  of  it  is  a  reflex  of  his  indomitable  and  God- 
fearing nature.  It  has  frequently  served  an  important  pur- 
pose in  music.  Bach  and  other  composers  of  his  time 
arranged  it.  Mendelssohn  uses  it  with  powerful  effect  in 
his  Reformation  Symphony.  Nicolai  employs  it  in  his 
Fest  Overture.  Meyerbeer  more  than  once  puts  it  in  the 
mouth  of  Marcel  the  Huguenot,  when  dangers  gather 
about  his  master,  though  the  Huguenots  were  not  Luther- 
ans but  Calvinists ;  and  Wagner  introduces  it  with  over- 
whelming power  in  his  triumphal  Kaiser  March. 

The  cantata  has  eight  numbers,  three  choruses  and  five 
solos.  The  solo  numbers  are  rearranged  from  an  earlier 
cantata,  "Alles  was  von  Gott  geboren"  ("All  that  is  of 
God's  creation"),  written  for  the  third  Sunday  in  Lent, 
March  15,  1716.  The  opening  number  is  a  colossal  fugue 
based  upon  a  variation  on  the  old  melody  and  set  to 
the  first  verse  of  the  Luther  hymn.  It  is  followed  by  a 
duet  for  soprano  and  bass,  including  the  second  verse  of 
the  hymn  and  an  interpolated  verse  by  Franck,  who  pre- 
pared the  text.  The  third  and  fourth  numbers  are  a  bass 
recitative  and  soprano  aria,  the  words  also  by  Franck, 
leading  up  to  the  second  great  chorale  set  to  the  words  of 
the  third  stanza  of  the  hymn,  "And  were  the  world  all 
devils  o'er."  The  sixth  number  is  a  recitative  for  tenor 
followed  by  a  duet  for  alto  and  tenor  ("  How  blessed  then 
are  they  who  still  on  God  are  calling  ").  The  work  closes 
with  a  repetition  of  the  chorale,  set  to  the  last  verse  of 
the  hymn,  sung  without  accompaniment.  The  cantata  is 
colossal  in  its  proportions,  and  is  characterized  through- 
out by  the  stirring  spirit  and  bold,  vigorous  feeling  of  the 
Reformation  days  whose  memories  it  celebrated. 


BEETHOVEN 

1770-1827 

MOUNT  OF  OLIVES 

BEETHOVEN  wrote  but  one  oratorio,  "Christus  am 
Oelberge"  ("Christ  on  the  Mount  of  Olives").  It 
was  begun  in  1800  and  finished  during  the  following  year. 
The  text  is  by  Huber,  and  was  written,  with  Beethoven's 
assistance,  in  fourteen  days.  That  more  time  and  atten- 
tion were  not  given  to  the  words  was  probably  regretted 
by  both  poet  and  composer  many  times  afterwards.  The 
first  performance  of  the  work  in  its  entirety  took  place  at 
Vienna,  April  5,  1803,  at  the  Theater  an  der  Wien.  It 
was  received  with  enthusiasm,  and  was  repeated  three 
times  during  that  year. 

The  libretto  is  unquestionably  defective  in  the  most 
salient  qualities  which  should  characterize  the  text  of  an 
oratorio,  even  to  the  degree  of  extravagance  and  sensa- 
tionalism. It  fails  to  reflect  the  sorrowful  character  of  the 
scene  it  depicts,  and  the  dramatic  requirements  which  it 
imposes  are  often  strained,  and  sometimes  border  on  the 
grotesque. 

The  oratorio  is  written  for  three  solo  voices,  Jesus, 
Peter,  and  a  Seraph,  and  chorus  and  orchestra.  The 
narrative  opens  with  the  agony  in  the  garden,  followed  by 
the  chant  of  a  Seraph  reciting  the  divine  goodness  and 
foretelling  the  salvation  of  the  righteous.  In  the  next 
scene  Jesus  learns  His  fate  from  the  Seraph,  yields  Him- 
self to  approaching  death,  and  welcomes  it.  The  soldiers 
enter  in  pursuit,  and  a  tumult  ensues  as  the  Apostles  find 
themselves  surrounded.  Peter  draws  his  sword  and  gives 
vent  to  his  indignation ;  but  is  rebuked  both  by  Jesus  and 


i4     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

the  Seraph,  and  together  they  conjure  him  to  be  silent 
and  endure  whatever  may  happen.  The  soldiers,  discov- 
ering Jesus,  rush  upon  Him  and  bind  Him.  The  disci- 
ples express  their  apprehension  that  they  too  will  suffer : 
but  Jesus  uncomplainingly  surrenders  Himself,  and  a 
chorus  of  rejoicing  completes  the  work.  From  this  brief 
sketch  the  artificial  and  distorted  manner  of  treating  the 
solemn  subject  will  be  evident. 

The  score  opens  with  an  adagio  introduction  for  instru- 
ments which  is  of  a  very  dramatic  character,  and,  unlike 
nearly  all  of  the  sacred  music  of  that  time,  is  noticeable 
for  the  absence  of  the  fugue.  The  first  number  is  a  reci- 
tative and  aria  for  tenor,  sung  by  Jesus  ("All  my  soul 
within  Me  shudders"),  which,  notwithstanding  the  anom- 
aly of  such  a  scene  in  such  surroundings,  is  simple  and 
touching  in  expression.  The  Seraph  follows  with  a  scene 
and  aria  ("Praise  the  Redeemer's  goodness"),  conclud- 
ing with  a  brilliant  and  jubilant  obligate  with  chorus  ("  O 
triumph,  all  ye  ransomed!").  The  next  number  is  an 
elaborate  duet  between  Jesus  and  the  Seraph  ("On  Me 
then  fall  Thy  heavy  judgment "),  which  is  still  more  anoma- 
lous than  the  scene  and  aria  with  which  Jesus  opens  the 
work.  In  a  short  recitative  passage,  Jesus  welcomes  death  ; 
and  then  ensues  one  of  the  most  powerful  numbers  in  the 
work,  the  chorus  of  soldiers  in  march  time  ("  We  surely 
here  shall  find  Him"),  interspersed  with  the  cries  of  the 
people  demanding  His  death,  and  the  lamentations  of 
the  Apostles.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  tumult  a  dialogue 
ensues  between  Jesus  and  Peter  ("  Not  unchastised  shall 
this  audacious  band  "),  which  leads  up  to  the  crown- 
ing anomaly  of  the  work,  a  trio  between  Jesus,  Peter, 
and  the  Seraph',  with  chorus  ("  O,  sons  of  men,  with 
gladness").  The  closing  number,  a  chorus  of  angels 
("Hallelujah,  God's  almighty  Son"),  is  introduced  with 
a  short  but  massive  symphony  leading  to  a  jubilant  burst  of 


LUDWIG  VAN  BEETHOVEN 


BEETHOVEN  17 

the  scenes,  a  triumphal  march  and  chorus  ("  Twine  ye  a 
garland  ")  is  introduced.  The  seventh  number  is  a  reci- 
tative and  aria  by  the  high  priest  with  chorus,  which  lead 
to  a  beautifully  melodious  chorus  ("  Susceptible  hearts  "). 
An  adagio  aria  for  bass  ("  Deign,  great  Apollo")  and  a 
vigorous  chorus  ("  Hail,  our  king ")  bring  the  work  to 
a  close. 

THE  GLORIOUS  MOMENT 

In  September,  1814,  the  same  year  in  which  the  Allies 
entered  Paris,  the  Vienna  Congress  met  to  adjust  the  rela- 
tions of  the  various  European  States.  It  was  an  occasion 
of  great  moment  in  the  ancient  city,  and  the  magistracy 
prepared  to  celebrate  it  with  befitting  pomp  and  cere- 
mony. Beethoven  was  requested  to  set  a  poem,  written 
by  Dr.  Aloys  Weissenbach,  of  Salzburg,  in  cantata  form, 
which  was  to  be  sung  as  a  greeting  to  the  royal  visitors.  It 
was  "  Der  glorreiche  Augenblick,"  sometimes  written  "  Der 
heilige  Augenblick"  ("The  Glorious  Moment"). 

The  cantata  itself,  while  not  one  of  the  most  conspicu- 
ous of  the  composer's  works,  still  is  very  effective  in  its 
choruses.  The  detailed  parts  do  not  need  special  descrip- 
tion ;  they  are  six  in  number,  as  follows:  No.  i,  chorus 
("  Europa  steht");  No.  2,  recitative  and  chorus  ("O, 
seht  sie  nah  und  naher  treten")  ;  No.  3,  grand  scena,  so- 
prano, with  violin  obligato  and  chorus  ("O  Himmel, 
welch'  Entziicken");  No.  4,  soprano  solo  and  chorus 
("  Das  Auge  schaut ")  ;  No.  5,  recitative  and  quartette  for 
two  sopranos,  tenor,  and  bass  ("  Der  den  Bund  im  Sturme 
festgehalten  ")  ;  No.  6,  chorus  and  fugue  ("  Es  treten  her- 
vor  die  Scharen  der  Frauen  "),  closing  with  a  stirring  trib- 
ute ("  Heil  und  Gluck  ")  to  Vindobona,  the  ancient  name 
of  the  city.  In  1836,  nine  years  after  the  composer's 
death,  the  cantata  appeared  with  a  new  poetical  setting 
by  Friedrich  Rochlitz,  under  the  title  of  "Preis  der 


,8     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

Tonkunst"  ("Praise  of  Music"),  in  which  form  it  was 
better  adapted  for  general  performance. 

SYMPHONY  No.  i,  IN  C  MAJOR.     OP.  21 

1.  ADAGIO  MOLTO.    ALLEGRO  CON  BRIO. 

2.  ANDANTE  CANTABILE  CON  MOTO. 

3.  MENUETTO  E  TRIO. 

4.  ADAGIO.    ALLEGRO  MOLTO  E  VIVACK. 

The  date  of  Beethoven's  First  Symphony  has  not  been 
definitely  ascertained.  Sketches  of  its  finale  are  found  as 
early  as  1795,  though  the  work  was  not  performed  until 
April  2,  1800,  at  a  concert  in  Vienna,  conducted  by  the 
composer.  It  was  probably  completed  in  1799,  as  shortly 
after  that  time  he  offered  the  manuscript  to  the  music  pub- 
lishers, Hofmeister  and  Peters,  of  Leipsic,  for  what  seems 
now  the  ridiculously  small  sum  of  twenty  ducats  ($50). 

With  the  first  bar  Beethoven  puts  himself  on  record, 
saying :  "  Please  do  not  forget  that,  although  I  have 
studied  under  Albrechtsberger,  and  have  feasted  on  the 
fruits  of  Haydn's  and  Mozart's  genius,  I  mean  to  introduce 
myself."  The  symphony,  in  the  key  of  C  major,  does  not 
begin  with  the  common  chord  of  C,  but  with  a  seventh 
chord  on  C,  resolving  into  F  major,  at  that  time  an  un- 
heard-of proceeding :  — 


Adaeio  molto. 


BEETHOVEN 


19 


This  short  introduction,  in  which  Beethoven  also  gives 
us  a  foretaste  of  his  inherent  predilection  for  the  extraordi- 
nary use  of  dynamics  (sudden  changes  from  forte  to  piano) 
leads  us  in  twelve  measures  to  the  first  movement,  Allegro 
con  brio,  with  this  principal  theme  — 


Violin. 


The  flutes  take  up  the  cadence  and  lead  through  C  and 
C  sharp  into  a  repetition  of  the  theme  one  step  higher  in 
D  minor,  bringing  it  the  third  time  in  a  slightly  altered 
form  on  the  dominant  chord  of  G  and  leading  back  into 
the  principal  key  of  C.  The  second  theme  — 


Flute. 


a 


20     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

includes  in  its  melody  another  of  Beethoven's  idiosyncra- 
sies, namely,  the  syncopations  at  a,  while  the  broken  chords 
in  the  staccato  accompaniment  foreshadow  his  preference 
for  decided  figures  in  his  basses.  This  application  of  a 
melodious  bass  we  find  a  few  measures  farther  on  in  the 
following  passage  :  — 


Violin. 


4  i  t 


Oboe. 


itj 


•U  U  '*  t  t 


i 


The  second  part  opens  with  the  principal  theme  in  A 
major,  which  after  some  modulations  is  reiterated  fortis- 
simo and  in  unison  by  the  whole  orchestra.  The  chro- 
matic step  C,  C  sharp,  for  the  winds,  which  we  found  in 
the  beginning,  leading  into  a  repetition  in  D  minor,  is  now 
extended  to  a  quasi  chromatic  scale,  running  through  an 
octave  and  a  half,  and  leading  in  a  steady  crescendo  into 
the  dominant  and  thus  back  to  the  second  theme,  which 
appears  now  in  the  original  key  of  C.  Near  the  close  of 
the  movement,  Beethoven  very  ingeniously  gives  us  a  re- 
minder of  his  opening  chords  and  their  resolution  by  using 
the  principal  theme  in  part,  thus  :  — 


BEETHOVEN 


21 


Flute. 


Violin.L 


etc., 


overlaying  it  in  the  winds  with  a  seventh  chord.  The  con- 
necting figures  and  phrases  remind  one  of  Mozart,  and 
the  treatment  throughout  is  simple  and  clear. 

The  Andante  cantabile  con  moto,  f  time,  in  the  key  of 
F,  opens  with  the  following  melody :  — 


Violin  II. 


answered  in  canon  by  the  violas  and  'cellos.  The  opening 
step  C  to  F,  enlarged  to  a  sixth,  G  to  E,  makes  the  second 
phrase  of  the  movement  a  natural  sequence  of  the  first. 
In  the  last  eight  measures  of  the  first  part,  Beethoven  again 
steps  out  of  the  beaten  track  of  using  the  kettle-drum  only 
as  a  kind  of  metronome,  by  giving  it  the  following  rhyth- 
mic phrase  accompanying  a  triplet  figure  in  the  violins :  — 


Violin. 


Timpani. 


22     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

The  step  C  to  F,  in  connection  with  the  pulsating  beat 
of  the  drum,  furnishes  the  composer  the  material  for  the 
opening  of  the  second  part  of  the  Andante,  which  is 
worked  out  with  the  utmost  delicacy  and  closes  with  one 
of  those  dynamic  contrasts  of  which  Beethoven  was  so 
fond. 

The  Minuet,  Allegro  molto  vivace,  f  time,  in  C  major, 
was  the  composer's  most  serious  attempt  to  impress  his 
individuality  upon  a  form  which  had  been  so  strongly  de- 
fined by  his  predecessors,  and  which,  as  the  representative 
of  the  dance  Minuet,  seemed  to  have  been  almost  ex- 
hausted by  Haydn  and  Mozart.  Beethoven,  recognizing 
the  fitness  of  a  bright  and  sprightly  movement  between  the 
Andante  and  the  last  movement  of  the  sonata  form,  aimed 
at  once  to  break  through  the  form  of  the  Minuet  proper 
and  create  the  Scherzo  and  Trio,  which  he  afterward  de- 
veloped so  successfully.  The  movement  under  considera- 
tion, although  entitled  "  Minuet,"  is  really  a  Scherzo.  Its 
beginning  reveals  those  characteristics  of  the  composer 
which  further  study  of  his  works  forces  us  to  admire  the 
most  in  him,  —  simplicity  and  strength.  Look  at  the 
opening :  — 


Its  tonal  design  appears  to  be  nothing  but  the  scale  of  G 
major,  but  what  does  it  become  under  the  hands  of  the 
young  master? 


BEETHOVEN  23 

The  second  part  of  the  Minuet  is  remarkable  for  its 
modulation,  and  there  is  something  infinitely  humorous  in 
the  measures  which  follow  this  tour  de  force :  — 

Violin. 


-1 

| 

[  TV       _ 

— 

-^-J  M  -M 



-T-J  M 

h-Vpi  9  i 

-*-£•  9  9—  17*  *    Q9   ' 

Fagotto  and  Oboe. 

lx^~~    1 
s*        %•        J      wa>  • 

^Z& 

L  •  r   *            S*                S* 

N*                 N* 

'^r^         ^           ^ 

^^* 

1 

1 

Basses. 


7L   i            -                 i 

1 

ffn^kg             t             m      \\ 

i-        J       J 

?•                   «                   « 

^M-'S  S                        h 

2       S       S    b 

2         m         m      ' 

•s*            v»         [7* 

55 

cz* 

>j»       s*     i 

: 

C_x>                ^ 

«V            k^ 

7»  • 

until  their  pianissimo  comments  are  cut  short  by  the  state- 
ment of  the  opening  scale  fortissimo.  Referring  to  the 
syncopations  :  — 


etc, 


t  r  r 


we  have  before  us  most  of  those  qualities  which  elevated 
the  composer  above  all  his  rivals  in  his  after  life.  The 
Trio  is  very  simple  and  chiefly  based  on  the  interchange 
of  the  wind  and  string  choirs,  and  the  Minuet,  da  capo, 
closes  the  movement. 

The  Finale  opens  with  a  few  bars  of  Adagio.  After  a 
hold  on  G,  the  first  violins  daintily  explore  the  ground  in 
this  fashion :  — 


24     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 


but  no  sooner  have  they  reached  the  last  lookout  and 
made  sure  that  the  ground  is  clear,  than  they  rush  off  in 
their  mad  dance,  Allegro  molto  vivace :  — 


The  duenna  of  the  party  puts  in  her  word  of  caution  :  — 


but  it  is  taken  up  in  mockery  by  the  basses,  and  the  whole 
company  are  off  again.  It  goes  without  saying  that  this 
movement  reminds  us  of  Haydn.  Why  ?  Chiefly  because 
the  composer,  in  inventing  his  theme,  suffered  himself  to 
be  influenced  entirely  by  the  characteristics  of  the  in- 
struments,—  a  method  which  he  discarded  as  he  grew 
stronger.  The  opening  phrase  of  the  Allegro  is  a  violin 
figure,  pure  and  simple,  and  the  scale  runs  of  the  second 
part  are  but  threads  compared  with  the  scale  which  we 
found  overlaying  the  harmonic  structure  of  the  opening 
of  the  Minuet.  The  second  theme  of  the  Finale  is  the 
following :  — 


BEETHOVEN 


coquettishly  set  off  against  the  steady  basses  and  entirely 
in  keeping  with  the  spirit  of  the  whole. 

In  the  First  symphony  Beethoven  still  clings  to  the  ac- 
cepted musical  forms.  He  has  not  yet  emancipated  him- 
self from  the  domination  of  the  instruments,  nor  risen  to 
bid  them  keep  silence  until  he  needs  them  for  his  indi- 
vidual expression;  hence  the  occasional  phrases  which 
remind  us  of  Haydn  and  Mozart.  And  yet  the  symphony 
shows  us  in  embryo  all  those  qualities  which  made  Bee- 
thoven the  greatest  symphonic  writer  the  world  has  thus 
far  produced.  As  music  the  work  is  charming.  It  is  not 
heroic  in  the  Allegro,  nor  oppressively  sad  in  the  Andante, 
but  delightful  from  beginning  to  end.  It  is  not  without 
intricacies  and  occasional  discords,  yet  everything  is  clear, 
bright,  and  grateful  to  the  ear. 


26     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

SYMPHONY  No.  2,  IN  D.     OP.  36 

1.  ADAGIO  MOLTO.    ALLEGRO  CON  BRIO. 

2.  LARGHETTO. 

3.  SCHERZO  AND  TRIO.    ALLEGRO. 

4.  ALLEGRO  MOLTO. 

Beethoven's  Second  Symphony  was  completed  in  the 
year  1802,  the  composer  then  being  in  the  thirty-second 
year  of  his  age.  The  first  sketches  for  this  symphony  were 
found  in  his  note-book,  which  was  edited  and  published 
by  Nottebohm  some  years  since.  When  finished,  it  was 
dedicated  to  Prince  Lichnowski,  who  was  also  honored 
with  the  dedication  of  the  exquisite  "  Sonate  Pathe"  tique." 
The  symphony  was  first  heard  at  the  Theater  an  der 
Wien,  Vienna,  April  5,  1803. 

The  Second  Symphony,  although  laid  out  on  a  some- 
what larger  scale  than  the  First,  shows  us  the  composer 
in  the  normal  condition  of  a  man  at  peace  with  himself 
and  the  world,  happy  in  his  art,  and  not  yet  stirred  to  his 
very  soul  by  the  sorrows  of  life.  It  begins,  like  the  First, 
with  an  introductory  Adagio,  although  of  much  greater 
length.  The  sturdy  opening  on  a  hold  on  D,  in  unison  by 
the  whole  orchestra,  is  at  once  followed  by  an  exquisite 
phrase  for  the  oboes  and  bassoons.  Similar  contrasts  pre- 
vail until  the  opening  of  the  Allegro  con  brio,  £  time. 
The  theme  is  given  out  by  the  'cellos,  and  in  the  repeat  — 


-•  etc., 

^^^^^H"™~~^  ^^^^^^^""~~^ 

'Cello. 

the  basses  softly  join  them.  The  last  part  of  the  motive 
is  somewhat  emphasized  by  repeating  the  step  of  a  third 
on  the  quarter  notes  at  a,  to  a  connecting  melody  in  the 
winds,  until  the  strings  take  up  the  first  part  of  the  theme 


BEETHOVEN  27 

given  above,  and  carrying  it  up  into  the  seventh,  enlarge 
the  scope  for  a  sweeping  violin  figure,  which  with  a  pro- 
nounced staccato  phrase  serves  as  a  connection  with  the 
second  theme :  — 


Oar. 


L±* 


This  theme  is  scarcely  inferior  in  its  jubilant  expression 
to  any  similar  outburst  in  Beethoven's  later  works.  The 
finale  of  the  Fifth  symphony  may  have  a  more  impetuous 
rush,  but  we  have  here  the  same  joyous  spirit,  exulting  in 
its  youth  and  strength.  This  feeling  is  intensified  in  the  re- 
peat by  a  trill-like  figure  in  the  violins,  apparently  trembling 
with  excitement  to  break  into  the  fortissimo  of  the  second 
half  of  the  theme,  which  now  runs  into  this  motive  :  — 


Violin. 


until  after  a  number  of  abrupt  chords  fortissimo  the  full 
orchestra  stops  on  a  diminished  seventh  chord  (G#,  B, 
D,  F) ,  followed  by  three-quarters  rest,  during  which  the 
question  naturally  arises  in  the  mind  of  the  hearer,  "  What 


28     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

next  ?  "    We  are  in  expectation  of  some  crashing  resolution, 
when  a  soft  murmur  strikes  the  ear  from  the  strings  :  — 


Violin. 


etc., 


and  not  until  after  a  crescendo  of  eight  measures  are  we 
gratified  with  a  satisfactory  closing.  The  second  part 
deals  chiefly  with  the  same  material,  a  new  feature  being 
added  by  the  counter-movement  of  a  broken  scale  against 
the  theme  :  — 


Violin. 


and  the  constant  tossing  about  of  the  motive :  — 


BEETHOVEN 


29 


The  second  half  of  the  second  theme  furnishes  the  com- 
poser the  material  for  the  following  exquisite  phrase  :  — 


Flutes. 


Oboe. 


Violin." 
Fagotti. 


Basses. 


The  close  is  exceeding  bold,  the  basses  rising  in  a  slow 
chromatic  scale  throughout  an  octave  from  D  to  D,  the 
violins  trying  to  counterbalance  it  by  the  other  extreme  of 
gigantic  strides,  thus  :  — 


£ 


•/        tf 


tf 


The  movement  ends  with  a  feeling  of  exultant  joy  and 
happiness. 

The  Larghetto  in  A  major,  |  time,  is  one  of  the  loveliest 
slow  movements  Beethoven  ever  wrote,  and  is  a  special 
favorite  in  the  concert-room.  The  opening  theme  — 


given  out  by  the  strings  and  repeated  by  the  winds,  is  a 
flowing  cantilena  of  exceeding  beauty,  uninterrupted  by 


3o     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

any  staccato  or  even  any  well-marked  incision  in  the 
phrasing.  Even  the  syncopations  on  E  in  the  violins 
have  a  coaxing  character  rather  than  the  spirit  of  stub- 
bornness. The  second  phrase  — 


with  its  endearing  half-step,  only  intensifies  the  general 
feeling  expressed  in  the  first.  A  long  dialogue  follows 
between  two  lovers,  which  hardly  needs  musical  quotation 
to  be  thoroughly  understood  by  the  attentive  listener.  It 
is  one  of  those  graceful  feats  of  genius  that  captivates  the 
casual  hearer  as  much  by  its  perfect  beauty  as  it  delights 
the  student  who  investigates  the  means  by  which  such 
perfect  expression  of  a  lovely  sentiment  is  obtained. 

The  Scherzo  here  appears  under  its  own  name  and  is  in 
the  key  of  D,  \  time.     It  is  built  up  on  the  short  motive 
Allegro. 


of  three  notes  repeated  over  and  over  again,  first  by  the 
basses,  then  by  the  violins,  and  again  by  the  horns,  after 
which  the  oboes  bring  it  reversed,  at  one  time  fortissimo 


and  again  piano,  but  ever  tripping  along  staccato  until 
the  violins  in  the  second  part  indulge  in  a  temporary 
sweep  of  descending  scale,  followed  by  a  reminder  of 
the  leading  figure  of  the  first  Allegro  :  — 


± 


BEETHOVEN 


The  three-note  motive,  however,  soon  stops  such  va- 
garies, and  barring  a  short  chromatic  phrase  carries  the 
day.  The  Trio  begins  with  a  short  phrase  for  oboes  and 
fagottos  played  twice  and  ending  in  D.  The  violins,  as 
if  vexed  by  the  liberty  the  winds  have  taken,  in  appropri- 
ating sixteen  measures  to  themselves,  follow  with  a  deter- 
mined stroke  on  the  third  (F  sharp)  ;  and  as  if  bent  on 
destroying  any  pleasant  impression  that  the  winds  might 
have  left,  turn  the  note  into  the  tonic  of  the  chord  of 
F  sharp :  — 


etc, 


eventually  quieted  down  on  the  same  F  sharp,  thus  pre- 
paring the  way  for  a  more  social  feeling  among  all  the 
members  of  the  orchestra  during  the  rest  of  the  Trio. 

The  Finale,  Allegro  molto,  D  major,  expresses  the 
same  happy  mood  that  characterizes  the  preceding  move- 
ments. The  opening  motive  is  thoroughly  characteristic 
of  Beethoven,  and  for  piquancy  has  few  rivals  among  the 
composer's  works  :  — 


Violin. 


tr 


Then  follows  a  longer  period,  in  which  the  winds  carry  the 
melody  while  the  strings  furnish  an  apparently  monotonous 
staccato  accompaniment.  In  the  further  working  up, 
that  part  of  the  motive  containing  the  trill  is  also  more 


32     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

extensively  employed,  but  the  peculiarity  of  the  appoggia- 
tura  during  a  fortissimo  phrase  of  sixteen  measures  shows 
us  Beethoven  at  his  best.  Right  here  we  have  also  an 
instance  where  the  composer  exchanges  humor  for  down- 
right fun.  Imagine  the  beginning  of  the  following  quo- 


tation : 


ff 


Violin. 


etc., 


fortissimo,  supported  by  the  whole  orchestra,  closing  at  a 
with  a  sforzando  crash,  followed  by  the  weazened  little 
gasp  of  the  first  violin  pianissimo,  then  by  a  pause  and 
a  repetition  of  this  whimpering  appoggiatura,  finally  after 
a  second  pause  the  whole  orchestra  breaking  in  at  b  with 
the  opening  motive,  forte.  The  close  is  worked  out  into 
a  Coda  of  considerable  length,  starting  from  two  succes- 
sive holds  with  a  new  rhythmic  figure,  which,  however, 
soon  merges  into  the  general  whirl  of  joyous  mirth  per- 
vading the  whole  movement. 

SYMPHONY  No.  3,  IN  E  FLAT  (EROICA).     OP.  55 

[Heroic  symphony,  composed  to  celebrate  the  memory  of  a  great 

man.    Dedicated  to  his  serene  highness,  Prince  Lobkowitz.] 

1.  ALLEGRO  CON  BRIO. 

2.  MARCIA  FUNEBRE.    ADAGIO  ASSAI. 

3.  SCHERZO  AND  TRIO.    ALLEGRO  VIVACE. 

4.  FINALE.    ALLEGRO  MOLTO. 

Beethoven  first  projected  the  Third  symphony  in  1802 
and  finished  it  in  1804.  "Eroica"  is  likely  to  mislead 
the  hearer  if  he  supposes  the  music  to  be  of  a  martial 


BEETHOVEN  33 

character,  and  we  therefore  add  the  complete  title  of  the 
work  as  it  first  appeared  in  print.  It  was :  "  Synfonia 
Eroica,  composta  per  pesteggiare  il  sowenire  di  un  grand' 
Uomo,  dedicata,"  etc. ;  that  is,  "  Composed  to  celebrate 
the  memory  of  a  great  man,"  namely,  the  heros  in  its 
widest  sense.  The  first  manuscript  copy,  however,  bore 
the  following  inscription  :  — 

Sinfonia  grande, 

NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE, 

1804  in  August: 

del  Sigr; 

Louis  VAN  BEETHOVEN. 
Sinfonia  3.  Op.  55. 

And  the  fly-leaf  of  the  copy,  which  the  composer  retained, 
had  the  words  "  Luigi  van  Beethoven "  at  the  top,  and 
"Buonaparte"  at  the  bottom.  It  is  known  that  Bee- 
thoven watched  with  deep  interest  the  great  revolution  in 
France,  hoping  that  the  freedom  he  imagined  and  desired 
would  rise  above  the  sans-ctilotte 's  libertf  and  enlighten  the 
world.  One  man  attracted  his  attention  and  kindled  his 
enthusiasm.  Napoleon  Bonaparte  had  appeared  like  a 
sun  above  the  sea  of  confusion  and  mediocrity,  rising 
rapidly  but  steadily  until  it  seemed  he  would  be  the  fore- 
most hero  of  the  republic.  For  Beethoven  the  i8th  Bru- 
maire  had  no  forebodings  of  an  i8th  Mai;  and  when  he 
first  heard  of  the  "  Vive  F  Empereur  "  he  took  the  score 
of  his  "  Eroica,"  tore  its  titlepage  in  two,  and  threw  the 
work  on  the  floor.  His  idol  was  shattered.  The  copy 
which  had  been  prepared  for  the  French  legation  at 
Vienna  was  withdrawn,  and  the  symphony  was  finally 
published  in  memory  of  "  un  grand'  Uomo." 

Such,  in  brief,  are  the  facts  relating  to  its  origin.  As 
biographical  data,  they  will  be  received  with  the  interest 
usually  attached  to  such  information,  but  in  their  bearing 
on  the  composition  they  become  of  far  greater  interest  and 

3 


34     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

importance.  Had  Beethoven  written  the  first  two  move- 
ments only  and  called  the  work  "  Napoleon,  a  Symphonic 
Poem,"  a  running  text  could  easily  have  been  supplied, 
and,  although  there  might  be  different  versions,  the  funda- 
mental idea  would  have  been  the  same  in  all.  But  he  was 
still  in  the  bondage  of  the  symphonic  form  as  it  then  ex- 
isted, or  at  any  rate  chose  to  adhere  to  the  four  classical 
movements,  thereby  sorely  puzzling  the  enthusiastic  critics 
who  were  to  dissect  his  work  and  explain  to  the  admiring 
listener  the  intention  and  meaning  of  every  phrase ;  for 
that  he  had  a  very  decided  meaning  and  purpose  in  writ- 
ing this  work  we  may  well  believe.  The  "Eroica"  was 
not  thrown  off  in  ten  days  nor  ten  months.  Beethoven 
had  for  years  been  gathering  the  material  and  crystallizing 
the  different  musical  thoughts  which  go  to  make  up  this 
mighty  drama,  and  when  he  called  the  symphony  "  Na- 
poleon Bonaparte,"  we  are  bound  to  believe  that  he  in 
his  way  had  sung  the  paean  of  the  hero,  as  he  then  sup- 
posed him  to  be. 

Admitting  in  the  first  movement  the  strife,  the  battle, 
whether  of  warring  races  or  of  one  man  fighting  against 
fate  and  fortune,  and  in  the  "  Marcia  Funebre,"  the  grand- 
est dirge  ever  sung,  whom  do  we  follow  to  the  grave  amid 
those  solemn  sounds,  —  the  hero  of  the  drama,  Napoleon  ? 
Then  what  of  the  third  and  fourth  movements  ?  The  biog- 
raphy ends  with  the  grave,  and  the  character  of  the  Scherzo 
and  Finale  will  not  admit  the  explanation  of  a  resume  or 
commentary  on  the  life  just  closed.  Marx  conceives  that 
the  symphony  is  a  battle-piece.  In  the  Scherzo  he  sees 
the  busy  life  of  the  camp  the  day  after  the  strife ;  in  the 
Finale  the  joys  and  festivities  of  peace.  Wagner  finds  no 
military  hero,  but  literally  "a  great  man,"  whose  qualities 
are  described  in  the  text.  Overpowering  force  leading  to 
a  tragic  result  characterize  the  first  two  movements.  In 
the  Scherzo  all  is  serene.  In  the  Finale  the  "grand' 


BEETHOVEN  35 

Uorao"  is  harmoniously  developed,  freed  from  passion, 
and  conquered  by  the  power  of  love.  Berlioz  compares 
the  Scherzo  to  the  solemn  rites  which  the  warriors  of 
the  Iliad  celebrated  at  the  grave  of  their  leader,  con- 
tinued in  the  Finale,  and  closing  with  a  hymn  of  victory. 
But  every  hearer  may  exercise  his  ingenuity  and  fancy 
upon  this  problem,  and  most  will  probably  arrive  at 
the  conclusion  that  the  music  of  these  two  movements 
was  written  for  music's  sake,  rather  than  to  portray  any 
phases  of  a  hero's  career. 

The  first  movement,  Allegro  con  brio,  in  E  flat,  I  time, 
has  a  number  of  themes  in  the  highest  degree  characteristic, 
showing  Beethoven's  power  in  terse  and  precise  expression 
of  musical  ideas.  The  main  theme  is  given  out  at  the  very 
beginning  by  the  'cellos  in  a  quiet  manner,  but  after  twenty- 
four  measures  we  encounter  the  syncopations  which  play 
so  decided  a  part  in  this  great  picture  of  strife  and  at 
times  change  the  rhythm  practically  to  J  time,  although  the 
movement  is  written  in  triple  time.  A  tender  episode  for 
the  winds,  repeated  by  the  strings,  interrupts  the  turmoil, 
but  after  a  short  repose  a  rapid  crescendo  leads  again  to 
the  clashing  syncopations.  A  similar  treatment  is  adopted 
in  the  second  part,  the  whole  forming  one  of  the  most  re- 
markable pieces  of  orchestral  writing  ever  accomplished. 

The  Adagio  assai  appeals  more  directly  to  the  listener, 
with  its  sad  melody  in  C  minor  and  its  heartfelt  tones  of 
melancholy.  This  solemn  dirge,  designated  by  the  com- 
poser "  Marcia  Funebre,"  is  followed  by  the  Scherzo,  Al- 
legro vivace.  The  contrast  in  the  heading  of  the  two 
movements  would  naturally  suggest  startling  incongruities 
in  the  music ;  but  it  is  one  of  the  greatest  achievements 
of  Beethoven's  genius  that  he  surmounts  the  difficulty  in 
a  way  which  does  not  admit  of  an  idea  of  unfitness. 

The  Scherzo  begins  with  a  pianissimo  staccato,  which 
has  something  mysterious  in  its  character,  moving  four 


36     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

measures  in  the  step  of  a  secunda  only,  and  that  on  the 
lower  notes  of  the  violins.  Not  until  the  fifth  measure 
does  the  melody  rise  into  the  higher  octave,  and  only  in  the 
ninth  measure  do  we  find  a  hint  of  the  lighter  character 
of  the  Scherzo  in  a  short  group  of  connected  descending 
notes.  Even  the  second  part  moves  in  a  similar  manner 
of  steps  and  half-steps  always  pianissimo.  It  is  not  until 
the  middle  of  this  part  that  it  breaks  forth  with  a  sudden 
fortissimo,  and  not  even  then  without  a  reminiscence  of  the 
syncopations  of  the  first  Allegro.  A  change  from  |  into 
alia  breve  *  during  four  measures,  and  back  again  into  | 
time,  is  a  conspicuous  example  of  Beethoven's  masterly  ap- 
plication of  rhythm  as  a  means  of  expression.  The  Trio, 
with  its  horn  passage,  finally  dispels  the  gloomy  character 
of  all  that  precedes,  and  calls  up  more  peaceful  visions. 

The  last  movement,  Allegro  molto,  begins  with  a  domi- 
nant seventh  chord  in  the  form  of  a  cadenza,  after  which 
the  theme  enters  pizzicato.  This  melody,  in  its  intervals, 
is  really  a  fundumental  bass,  and  is  worked  up  in  the  form 
of  variations,  ever  and  anon  interrupted  by  a  hold  on  the 
dominant  chord,  until  a  new  theme  appears,  happier  and 
brighter  than  any,  dominating  the  last  part  of  the  move- 
ment It  gives  room  to  a  severe  treatment  of  the  first 
theme  in  strict  counterpoint,  only  to  reappear  in  a  Poco 
andante  of  some  length,  which  without  warning  breaks  into 
the  final  Presto  fortissimo  that  brings  the  work  to  a  close. 

The  principal  theme  of  the  first  movement  is  given  out 
by  the  'cellos  as  quoted  at  a  :  — 


Oboe. 


Clarinet. 


Flute. 


Violin. 


BEETHOVEN 


37 


The  second  subject  at  b  is  in  fine  contrast  with  the  first, 
and  is  thrown  about  from  instrument  to  instrument.  The 
episode  given  out  by  the  winds,  as  mentioned  above,  is 
indicated  at  c :  — 


Flute. 


Oboe. 


Clarinet 


Jjljj^ffe 

H 1 1 H f- f- F * — 


I 


fTT 


Fagotti 


d 


J    !*J^ 


Bx  tr  f 

Basses,  pizz.       ' 

Another  prominent  theme  starts  in  about  the  middle  of 
the  second  part,  as  at  d:  — 


Oboe. 


£#»  J J  J  i  r  J r 


followed  by  that  remarkable  passage  in  the  basses  at  e. 
The  melody  of  the  Adagio  we  give  at  /  with  — 


38     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 


its  counterphrase  at  g.  The  main  theme  of  the  Finale  is 
a  subject  chosen  from  an  air  in  Beethoven's  music  to 
"  Prometheus,"  the  present  Finale  adopting  the  bass  at  a 
for  a  melody,  and  only  bringing  in  the  original  melody  at 
&,  at  the  third  variation.  We  give  them  here  condensed, 
one  above  the  other  :  — 


^_  T     K 

r           u 

v  -1 

inY  *    \f 

* 

IT 

1 

*^\) 

1               I 

t) 

a 

/^A«     t» 

•k 

1 

[CA  7         ^ 

^  *!    ^* 

]J    *5    ^ 

—52    \* 

fcq_^   - 

'      «S. 

J  I          *^ 

*  ^ 

BEETHOVEN 


39 


SYMPHONY  No.  4,  IN  B  FLAT. 
ALLEGRO  VIVACE. 


OP.  60 


1.  ADAGIO. 

2.  ADAGIO. 

3.  MENUETTE. 

ALLEGRO. 

A.  ALLEGRO  MA  NON  TROPPO. 


ALLEGRO    VIVACE.     TRIO,   UN    POCO    MEMO 


The  Fourth  symphony,  as  the  original  manuscript  shows, 
was  written  in  1806,  and  dedicated  to  Count  Obersdorf, 
one  of  Beethoven's  Viennese  patrons.  It  was  first  per- 
formed at  a  subscription  concert  for  the  composer's  bene- 
fit in  the  Spring  of  1807,  and  was  subsequently  given  at  a 
charitable  concert  on  the  fifteenth  of  November  of  the 
same  year,  which  may  be  called  its  first  public  perform- 
ance. It  lies  like  a  gleam  of  sunlight  between  the  heroic 
Third  and  majestic  Fifth.  Although  written  at  a  time 
when  Beethoven  was  harassed  by  intrigues  and  cabals 
growing  out  of  the  production  of  his  opera  "Fidelio," 
then  known  by  its  original  title  of  "  Leonore,"  it  is  the 
happiest  and  most  serene  of  all  his  symphonies.  With 
the  exception  of  the  introduction,  which  bears  traces  of 
anxious  uncertainty,  if  not  of  sadness,  there  is  scarcely  a 
measure  in  the  work  which  is  not  bright,  peaceful,  and 
happy. 

The  symphony  begins  with  the  customary  slow  introduc- 
tion, an  Adagio  in  *  time,  in  the  key  of  B  flat,  which 
opens  in  this  mysterious  manner  to  a  long-held  B  flat  in 
the  wind  instruments  :  — 


Flute. 


40     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

It  is  not  the  mystery  of  dreadful  adventure,  for  the  tip- 
toeing figure  in  the  seventh  and  eighth  measures  assures 
us  that  there  is  roguery  abroad.  This  tripping  around  in 
the  dark  is  kept  up  through  thirty-six  measures,  and  then 
the  light  is  turned  upon  the  masqueraders  suddenly  and 
in  full  force  with  a  seventh  chord  on  F  fortissimo,  which, 
after  exposing  the  entire  company  in  the  opening  meas- 
ures of  the  Allegro  vivace,  hurries  them  on  at  an  acceler- 
ated pace :  — 


~y  i  e        "3 

'      U*        U 

D 

/Her        M  "* 

-  M^ 

1 

i  L  i    i 

-F        I                    f    1 

t(n 

]J                         \            U       \ 

tfF  / 

A     u 

etc. 

y  i  '-1      l\ 

f 

X.  b   !•    C3 

*rt         A 

"1    •     *1     . 

rr\p  !•  J 

J 

1    f     n 

While  the  violins  are  indulging  in  mysterious  whisper- 
ings, the  bassoon,  as  the  clown  of  the  company,  skips 
around  as  nimbly  as  Figaro,  until  it  is  silenced  by  a  cres- 
cendo of  four  measures,  and  the  rush  of  the  opening  of 
the  Allegro  is  repeated.  A  mocking  syncopated  phrase 
now  occurs,  followed  by  a  little  small  talk  between  the 
bassoon,  oboes,  flutes,  and  violins,  until  a  unison  figure  for 
the  strings,  of  a  peculiarly  buoyant  character  in  its  har- 
monic design  and  well  calculated  for  a  fine  crescendo  — 


Violin. 


s 


etc., 


brings  us  to  a  little  canon  — 


BEETHOVEN 


Clarinet. 


Fagotto. 


•»•• 
A     h 

1     ,-' 

J 

J 

^1 

V   ' 

J 

4* 

™          j 

/L  7 

c?  • 

1 

Ct) 

I 

.     1 

ff ff 


a  simple  enough  proceeding  for  Beethoven,  but  in  its  very 
simplicity  admirably  in  keeping  with  the  general  character 
of  the  music.  A  mysterious  tremolo  pianissimo  for  the 
violins  is  followed  by  the  boisterous  laugh  of  the  whole 
company,  and  after  repeating  this  little  by-play  a  synco- 
pated figure  in  the  violins  forces  the  repetition  of  the  first 
part.  The  second  part,  though  dealing  essentially  with 
the  same  thematic  material,  is  exceedingly  rich  in  har- 
monic changes  and  transpositions,  to  follow  which  would 
lead  us  too  far ;  but  the  listener  should  note  the  exqui- 
sitely roguish  humor  that  pervades  a  phrase  in  which  the 
kettle-drum  takes  part  individually  in  the  general  fun. 
This  part  also  contains  an  unaccompanied,  unbroken  scale, 
started  by  the  first  violins  on  G  sharp  above  the  staff  and 
carried  down  into  the  basses  to  E  sharp  below  the  bass 
staff,  always  pianissimo,  breaking  into  an  upward  sweep 
through  a  diminished  seventh  chord  and  landing  again 
within  four  measures  on  a  high  D  in  the  flutes.  This  freak 
sets  the  kettle-drum  to  growling,  and  while  it  keeps  up 
its  rumbling  for  twenty-six  measures  the  scattered  forces 
are  called  back  one  by  one  until  they  unite  in  the  open- 
ing theme  fortissimo.  Thus  the  first  movement,  though 
abounding  in  fine  effects  and  wonderful  modulations,  flows 


42     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

along  in  an  unbroken  and  perfectly  spontaneous  manner, 
nowhere  showing  an  effort  of  serious  labor. 

The  Adagio  in  E  flat,  |  time,  is  less  liable  to  very  widely 
different  interpretation,  and  would  well  fit  into  a  love  poem. 
The  following  measure,  given  out  by  the  second  violins,  — 


Adagio 


is  used  by  the  composer  as  the  chief  and  characteristic 
design  for  his  accompaniment  throughout.  A  lovely 
air  — 


Cantabile. 


enters  at  the  second  measure,  marked  "  cantabile,"  sung 
by  the  violins,  and  closes  in  its  eighth  measure  on  the 
fifth  of  the  chord,  producing  an  effect  of  vagueness,  "  as  if 
its  loveliness  might  go  on  forever."  It  is  then  repeated 
by  the  wind  instruments,  to  which  is  also  given  the  greater 
part  of  the  second  phrase.  In  its  workmanship  this  Adagio 
is  remarkable  for  what  the  Italians  call  "fioriture,"  but 
in  this  case  more  strictly  "decorative  accompaniment," 
which  at  times  reminds  us  of  delicate  carving  and  again 
wreathes  itself  around  the  melody,  while  in  the  repeat  it  is 


BEETHOVEN 


43 


even  woven  into  the  melody  itself.  Just  at  the  close  the 
opening  motive  claims  its  right  for  the  first  time  as  a  solo 
for  the  kettle-drum,  the  use  of  which  no  one  but  a  master 
could  have  withstood  the  temptation  to  employ  many  times 
before. 

The  Minuet,  Allegro  vivace,  in  B  flat,  differs  in  its  form 
somewhat  from  any  of  Beethoven's  former  third  move- 
ments, inasmuch  as  it  is  divided  into  five  sections  instead 
of  three,  by  repeating  both  the  Minuet  and  the  Trio  and 
returning  again  to  the  Minuet.  The  principal  motive  shows 
what  care  Beethoven  bestowed  upon  these  movements. 
The  jostling,  pushing  effect  of  the  first  part  of  the  opening 
phrase,  offset  by  the  sweeping  legato  answer,  which  sounds 
like  a  kindly  remonstrance,  is  all  he  needed  for  the  Min- 
uet proper ;  but  how  wonderfully  these  means  are  employed 
when  we  come  to  look  at  their  distribution,  as  far  as  har- 
mony and  color  (that  is,  the  use  of  different  instruments) 
are  concerned  !  The  Trio,  un  poco  meno  allegro,  consists 
of  a  short  phrase  for  the  wind  instruments,  interrupted  by 
a  playful  remark  of  the  violins,  — 


Oboes. 


etc., 


Horns. 


repeated  on  three  ascending  steps,  with  a  short  trill  toward 
the  end  imparting  a  peculiar  elegance  to  the  dainty  dia- 
logue. The  final  repeat  of  the  Minuet  proper  winds  up 
with  the  following  :  — 


Horns. 

Tutti.  -J- 

J    J    J.    4.     5 

r/w  h    i 

1         i 

LP'l  "     i 

J       J 

^| 

A           ^       ^ 

LWh       * 

•N         <N 

44     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

the  horns  putting,  as  Schumann  says,  "  one  more  question," 
though  cut  short  by  the  last  fortissimo  chord. 

The  last  movement,  Allegro  ma  non  troppo,  is  again  in 
the  key  of  B  flat,  |  time.  It  starts  off  merrily  with  the 
violins :  — 


followed  by  a  figure  which,  considering  its  limited  compass, 
looks  as  if  it  had  stepped  out  of  a  Bach  fugue.  Its  very 
closeness,  however,  seems  to  check  and  keep  the  merry- 
making within  bounds;  only  one  of  the  motives,  skipping 
through  a  broken  chord,  is  allowed  the  liberties  of  a  privi- 
leged and  noisy  couple ;  all  else  is  cheerful  and  happy  in 
its  nature.  The  close  is  as  playfully  dramatic  as  Beethoven 
ever  allowed  himself  to  be.  After  a  general  call  to  order, 
followed  by  a  pause  of  one  measure,  the  first  violins,  some- 
what out  of  breath,  make  their  adieux,  answered  by  the 
bassoon  and  finally  by  the  violas,  when  the  humor  of 
the  thing  gets  the  best  of  them  all,  and  they  rush  off 
helter-skelter,  shouting  at  the  tops  of  their  voices  :  — 

Violin.         __^^^___^_______^____^___  Fagotto. 


BEETHOVEN  45 


SYMPHONY  No.  5,  IN  C  MINOR.     OP.  67 

1.  ALLEGRO  CON  BRIO.  3.  ALLEGRO  (SCHERZO). 

2.  ANDANTE  CON  MOTO.         4.  ALLEGRO.     PRKSTO. 

The  Fifth  symphony  was  finished  in  1808,  although  its 
composition  had  occupied  Beethoven's  attention  for  many 
years  before.  The  first  two  movements  were  written  in 
1805,  and  sketches  for  them  have  been  found  as  early 
as  1 800.  At  its  first  performance,  at  Vienna,  December 
22,  1808,  it  was  numbered  on  the  programme  as  the  Sixth ; 
and  the  Pastoral  appeared  as  the  Fifth.  Both  were 
finished  in  the  same  year,  but  the  priority  of  the  C 
minor  is  clearly  established  by  Beethoven's  own  num- 
bering in  the  autograph.  Like  the  Sixth,  it  is  dedi- 
cated to  Prince  Lobkowitz  and  Count  Rasoumowsky, 
noble  patrons  of  music,  whose  names  are  thus  consigned 
to  immortality. 

The  C  minor  symphony  is  probably  the  best  known  and 
most  admired  of  the  nine,  perhaps  because  it  is  the  most 
human  in  its  qualities.  Beethoven  himself  has  left  us  a 
clew  to  its  meaning,  and  with  that  clew  nearly  all  critics 
have  arrived  at  substantially  the  same  decision,  —  namely, 
that  it  pictures  the  struggle  of  the  individual  with  Fate, 
the  alternations  of  hope  and  despair,  and  the  final  triumph, 
in  contradistinction,  for  instance,  with  the  motives  of  the 
Ninth  symphony,  where  the  same  struggle  is  fought,  only 
upon  the  broader  field  of  the  world  ;  where  the  triumph  is 
the  same,  only  it  is  the  triumph  of  the  universal  brother- 
hood. In  speaking  of  the  first  four  notes  of  the  opening 
movement,  Beethoven  said,  some  time  after  he  had  finished 
the  symphony :  "  So  pocht  das  Schicksal  an  die  Pforte  " 


46     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

("Thus  Fate  knocks  at  the  door")  ;  and  between  that 
opening  knock  and  the  tremendous  rush  and  sweep  of  the 
Finale,  the  emotions  which  come  into  play  in  the  great 
conflicts  of  life  are  depicted. 

In  the  Fifth,  as  in  the  Third  symphony,  we  find  that 
concentration  of  thought  and  labor  which  makes  these  two 
musical  poems  so  all-powerful  and  overwhelming  in  their 
effect.  It  is  not  marked  by  a  spontaneous  flow  of  musical 
phrases  lightly  strung  together,  or  by  mere  toying  with 
musical  forms ;  but  each  motive  represents  a  concentrated 
essence  of  thought  which,  once  heard,  makes  an  indelible 
impression,  and  apparently  admits  of  no  change.  His 
sketch-book  shows  what  infinite  labor  Beethoven  bestowed 
upon  the  modelling  of  these  unique  themes  before  he 
adopted  the  forms  in  which  they  are  used  in  the  sym- 
phony. Once  they  had  left  the  master's  hand,  however, 
they  were  no  longer  fancies,  but  facts ;  and  it  took  little 
more  than  the  musical  Vulcan  at  his  smithy  to  drive  these 
facts  home  until  the  merest  tyro  should  feel  their  weight. 
We  give  only  a  few  quotations,  but  bearing  them  in  mind, 
the  listener  will  be  able  to  follow  the  development  of  this 
passionate  outpouring  of  a  passionate  mind  while  brooding 
over  its  fate  :  — 


Allegro  con  bn 

(7. 

^ 
1  

^. 

FH 

^ 
—  i  — 

C)     74  •    «    • 

^J— 

| 

I  r  ~»~" 

—  H 

—  i  — 

rf 


BEETHOVEN 

Violin. 


47 


^ 


Wind  inst.  Strings. 

J     j     ^     J 


Wind. 


:• 


Strings. 


^ 


The  holds  at  a  occur  frequently,  as  well  as  the  abrupt 
chords  leading  up  to  a  pause.  The  persistency  with 
which  the  theme  at  b  is  repeated  and  carried  upward  in  a 
steady  crescendo,  only  to  vent  its  rage  in  those  terrible 
three  notes,  dropping  into  a  third  below  and  cut  short  by 
two  abrupt  chords,  well  depicts  the  persistent  struggle  of 
a  great  mind  with  the  misfortunes  of  life.  After  the  state- 
ment of  inexorable  fate  by  the  horns  at  c,  it  almost  seems 
as  if  the  proud  mortal  were  pleading  his  case  and  appeal- 
ing for  mercy ;  but  the  pitiless  cry  at  the  five-fold  repeti- 
tion of  the  four  notes  at  d  grows  unendurable,  and,  stung 
to  the  quick,  he  hurls  his  defiance  against  the  gods.  A 
period  of  exhaustion  characterizes  a  passage  in  which  the 
winds  alternate  with  the  strings  during  thirty-two  measures, 
in  short  chords  ever  drooping  until  roused  again  to  life 


48     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

and  strife  by  the  motive  at  ct  given  in  unison  by  the  whole 
orchestra.  The  last  motive,  at/,  may  simply  be  described 
as  a  hammer  and  anvil,  and  no  one  who  hears  it  can  mis- 
take  our  meaning. 

Of  the  Andante  con  moto,  in  A  flat,  f  time,  we  quote 
only  the  principal  phrases  :  — 


The  opening  is  given  out  by  the  violas  and  'cellos, 
while  the  phrase  at  b  is  always  started  by  the  winds,  break- 
ing into  a  sudden  fortissimo  at  d  and  enriched  at  every 
repeat  by  a  more  animated  figure  in  the  violins.  The  first 
phrase  breathes  sweet  consolation,  while  the  second  points 
onward  and  upward,  promising  peace  and  happiness  to  the 
anxious  heart,  with  a  bold  transition  at  d  assuring  the  suf- 
ferer of  glorious  triumph  and  happiness.  The  measures 
preceding  this  outburst  produce  a  thrilling  effect  by  the 


BEETHOVEN 


49 


use  of  the  ominous  ninth  below  the  melody,  which  in 
the  second  violins  and  violas  raises  the  ghost  of  the 
Fate  motive  of  the  first  part  with  its  three  strokes  indi- 
cated at  c. 

The  Allegro  Scherzo,  in  C  minor,  starts  out  with  a  timid 
question,  — 


[•(<*)•  ^  1- 

J    r    f    1  1  E 

\  ^^•^'n   )~k 

• 

^3 

• 

/^<?  ritard. 

A     L.             **** 

i                 ^^         ^-,    ^~~^»        /T% 

y  ,  7 

KJ  75  ^        -^  ^  «^^ 

•(fl\P  »     '- 

—  B*     -^                                      —  ^ 

V  y             "^ 

1                                                     1 

tJ          Violins. 

but  in  the  answer  it  seems  as  if  the  youthful  hero  had 
grappled  with  the  decrees  of  Fate  and  boldly  turned  the 
point  of  the  weapon  against  his  foe.  The  three  strokes  of 
the  first  movement  which  started  on  an  up  beat  -|  J^j  \  ^  I 
are  now  defiantly  turned  into  |  ill  I  I  *  !>  and  boldly 
carry  the  day.  The  second  part  of  the  Scherzo,  in  the 
key  of  C  major,  which  represents  the  Trio,  opens  with  a 
strong  and  boisterous  passage  for  the  'cellos  and  basses, 
gradually  reenforced  by  the  violins,  and  carried  to  a  joyful 
climax,  from  which  a  gradual  decrescendo  leads  back  into 
the  first  part. 

After  the  hold  the  now  victorious  triple  beat  starts 
pianissimo  in  the  clarinets  and  changes  from  instrument 
to  instrument,  but  always  pianissimo,  as  if  intended  thor- 
oughly to  repress  any  premature  exultation.  The  kettle- 
drum finally  takes  up  the  beat,  and  for  forty-eight  measures 
persistently  furnishes  the  rhythm.  The  violins  take  cour- 
age and  begin  an  upward  sweep,  always  pianissimo  and  in 
ever-widening  intervals,  until  it  reaches  the  dominant  sev- 
enth chord,  when  the  footing  for  a  triumphant  onslaught 

4 


50     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

seems  secured,  and  with  a  short  crescendo  we  rush  into 
the  jubilant  march  of  the  last  Allegro,  in  the  key  of 
C  major,  common  time  :  — 

AUtgro. 


0  „ 


This  is  joy  unbounded,  not  without  manly  dignity  in 
the  first  four  measures,  but  soon  giving  way  to  an  aban- 
don of  exultation.  The  upward  sweep  from  the  sixth 
measure,  ending  twice  on  the  octave,  is  in  its  third  repeti- 
tion carried  a  third  higher,  as  if  breaking  all  bounds,  and 
naturally  flows  into  a  dotted  rhythmic  figure  which  only 
increases  the  excitement.  The  tender  element,  the  loving 
figure,  be  it  woman  or  angel,  that  breathed  its  consolation 
in  the  second  movement,  is  recognized  in  the  following 
short  episode :  — 


r  TJ 


bat  is  soon  drawn  into  the  general  hymn  of  joy.     After  a 
perfect   whirl   on   the  dominant  chord  of  G  for  twenty 


BEETHOVEN  51 

measures,  the  violins  having  a  tarantelle-like  figure  in  trip- 
lets, the  movement  is  suddenly  interrupted  by  an  episode 
of  fifty-four  measures  in  triple  time,  recalling  the  Scherzo 
in  its  rhythm,  but  in  reality  only  a  prolongation  of  the 
dominant  chord,  which  was  cut  short  at  its  climax  so  as  to 
make  a  more  deliberate  change  at  the  repetition  of  the 
grand  march  of  joy.  In  conclusion,  we  quote  only  the 
principal  phrase  of  the  middle  section  of  this  movement :  — 


Oboes. 


±ff.1:mt 

-F— I — I  *  i  t — F— t— 


£-*- 


^ 


Fagotti.  | 


SYMPHONY  No.  6,  IN  F  (PASTORAL).     OP.  68 

1.  ALLEGRO  MA  NON  TROPPO.     (The  Cheerful  Impressions  ex- 

cited on  arriving  in  the  Country.) 

2.  ANDANTE  MOLTO  MOTO.     (By  the  Brook.) 

3.  ALLEGRO.     (Peasants'  Merrymaking.) 

4.  ALLEGRO.    (Thunder-storm.) 

5.  ALLEGRETTO.     (The  Shepherd's  Song ;  Glad  and  Thankful 

Feelings  after  the  Storm.) 

The  Pastoral  symphony  was  composed  by  Beethoven 
in  1808,  and  was  first  performed  at  a  concert  given  in 
Vienna,  December  22  of  the  same  year.  No  doubt  can 
attach  to  the  meaning  of  this  symphony,  as  the  composer 
has  left  his  own  explanation  prefixed  to  each  movement. 
It  is  absolute  programme-music,  and  yet  both  in  the 
sketches  as  well  as  in  the  autograph  of  the  completed 
work  a  caution  is  conveyed  to  the  effect  that  it  is  not  an 
actual  representation  of  the  rural  scenes  that  form  the 
motive  of  the  work.  In  the  sketches  it  is  entitled 
"Sinfonie  caracteristica.  Die  Erinnerungen  von  der 
Landleben "  ("  Symphony  Characteristic.  Memories  of 


52     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

Country  Life"),  and  the  following  note  is  appended: 
"  Man  iiberlasst  dem  Zuhorer  sich  selbst  die  Situationen 
auszufinden"  ("The  hearer  must  find  out  the  situations 
for  himself").  When  the  symphony  was  completed,  how- 
ever, Beethoven  changed  his  intentions,  and  in  the  pro- 
gramme of  its  first  performance,  as  well  as  in  the  printed 
score,  gave  explicit  descriptions  of  the  meaning  of  each 
movement,  prefaced,  however,  with  the  significant  cau- 
tion :  "  Mehr  Ausdruck  der  Empfindung  als  Malerei " 
("Rather  expressive  of  sensations  than  painting,") — or 
actual  description. 

This  symphony,  in  fact,  reveals  Beethoven  as  the  lyric 
poet.  It  is  by  no  means  the  sentimental  strain  of  the 
conventional  spring  poet,  but  the  masterly  expression  of 
that  happy  and  contented  feeling  which  the  lover  of  Na- 
ture experiences  during  a  ramble  through  a  lovely  coun- 
try. The  motives  employed  are  apparently  of  the  simplest 
kind,  but  demonstrate  the  evolution  of  intense  thought. 
They  cannot  be  altered  by  a  note  without  the  sacrifice  of 
their  meaning.  They  are  short  and  close  in  design,  and 
to  a  great  extent  lean  on  the  tones  of  the  hunting  horn. 
Their  force  rather  lies  in  the  fact  that  by  their  continuous 
repetition  they  produce  that  train  of  thought  in  the  hearer 
which  causes  him  to  recognize  the  music  at  once  as  pas- 
toral. We  quote  a  few  of  the  motives  that  will  attract  the 
hearer's  attention :  — 


BEETHOVEN 

^        d 


53 


The  first  movement,  of  which  the  above  are  the  themes, 
is  an  Allegro  ma  non  troppo  in  F  major,  \  time,  and  is  in 
keeping  with  the  general  description  we  have  given  of 
the  music. 

The  Andante  molto  moto  in  B  flat,  y  time,  gives  voice 
to  the  listless  dreaming  of  the  wayfarer  who  is  resting  at 
the  banks  of  the  brook.  The  monotonous  accompani- 
ment, sustained  through  nearly  the  entire  movement  by 
the  strings,  is  of  a  flowing  figure,  containing  a  gentle  rise 
and  return  to  its  level.  The  first  violins  give  out  the 
principal  melodic  theme,  while  the  wind  instruments  re- 
spond with  the  second  phrase.  Short  figures  abound, 
flitting  about  among  the  different  instruments,  sometimes  in 
imitation,  again  in  euphonious  thirds  or  sixths,  and  at 
times  a  brief  trill  or  the  short  snapping  of  pizzicato  notes. 
Its  effect  is  that  of  the  evening  air  alive  with  songs  of 
birds  and  the  buzz  of  insects.  In  the  last  twelve  meas- 
ures of  this  movement,  the  composer  even  introduces  the 
bird-songs,  —  a  proceeding  which  has  been  pronounced 
childish  and  utterly  unworthy  of  Beethoven,  but  which  to 
the  unprejudiced  listener  seems  to  belong  in  its  connec- 
tion. When  we  consider  that  its  use  by  Beethoven  cannot 
possibly  have  sprung  from  a  desire  to  write  catchpenny 
claptrap,  it  would  perhaps  be  well  to  accept  the  intention 
of  the  composer. 


54     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

The  third  movement,  Allegro,  in  F  major,  |  time,  rep- 
resenting the  Minuet,  introduces  the  purely  human  ele- 
ment. The  first  eight  measures  usher  in  the  good  country 
people  tripping  briskly  along,  but  what  a  woful  failure  th.e 
clumsy  peasants  make  at  the  end  of  the  phrase  !  In  the 
next  phrase,  however,  we  approach  the  dance  proper  with 
its  "  band  accompaniment."  The  whole  movement  shows 
how  perfectly,  as  the  Merry  Andrew  has  it  in  the  prelude 
to  "  Faust,"  Beethoven  could  grasp  the  exhaustless  "  life 
that  all  men  live,"  not  disdaining  even  to  include  the 
pleasures  of  the  lowly  peasantry  in  his  inimitable  tone- 
picture.  The  minuet-like  movement  is  interrupted  by  a 
short  Tempo  d'allegro,  |,  which  seems  like  the  change 
to  another  dance,  though  being  rather  more  boisterous 
it  comes  to  a  close  by  two  short  pauses,  as  if  to  give 
the  dancers  a  chance  to  catch  their  breaths  before  re- 
turning to  the  triple  time  of  the  Minuet  closing  the 
movement. 

The  next  movement,  an  Allegro  in  A  flat,  is  entitled 
"  Thunder-storm,"  and  brings  before  us  the  lowering  sky, 
the  distant  rumbling  of  thunder,  the  sultry  air,  and  the 
cumulus  clouds  as  they  rise  higher  and  higher  above  the 
horizon  until  we  are  almost  in  darkness,  and  the  storm 
breaks  forth  in  all  its  fury.  It  soon  passes  over,  however, 
the  clouds  break,  and  sunshine  illuminates  the  refreshed 
landscape.  Without  interruption,  the  closing  measure  leads 
into  the  last  movement,  —  the  shepherd's  song  of  joy,  and 
his  feeling  of  relief  from  the  dangers  of  the  tempest.  The 
motives  are  formed  from  the  representative  intervals  of 
the  instruments  chiefly  used  by  shepherds,  and  move  in 
the  steps  of  the  chord  rather  than  in  the  successive  notes 
of  the  scale,  although  the  middle  section  of  the  movement 
brings  the  violins  to  the  front  with  just  such  runs  as  were 
excluded  from  the  first  part,  which  more  strictly  represent 
the  song  of  the  shepherd.  The  movement  closes  with 


BEETHOVEN  55 

one  of  those  dynamic  contrasts  in  which  Beethoven  de- 
lighted. After  the  horn  once  more  sings  the  principal 
theme,  — 

Horn.  Con  sordino. 


softly,  con  sordino,  and  while  the  violins  are  twining 
around  it  in  a  descending  figure,  the  whole  orchestra 
breaks  in  suddenly  and  without  any  preparation  on  the 
closing  chord  fortissimo,  as  indicated  above. 

SYMPHONY  No.  7,  IN  A  MAJOR.     OP.  92 

1.  POCO  SOSTENUTO.    VlVACE. 

2.  ALLEGRETTO. 

3.  PRESTO.    PRESTO  MENO  ASSAI. 

4.  FINALE.    ALLEGRO  CON  BRIO. 

The  Seventh  symphony,  which  vies  in  popularity  with 
the  Fifth,  was  finished  in  the  year  1812,  and  was  first  per- 
formed December  8,  1813,  at  a  concert  in  Vienna  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Austrian  and  Bavarian  soldiers  wounded  at 
the  battle  of  Hanau.  The  symphony  was  also  played 
November  29,  1814,  before  the  allied  sovereigns  at  the 
meeting  of  the  Congress  of  Vienna,  and  made  a  great 
impression. 

Of  all  the  Beethoven  symphonies,  the  Seventh  is  the 
most  romantic,  as  well  as  the  most  happy.  The  composer 
left  no  clew  to  its  meaning,  though  we  know  from  his  let- 
ters that  he  esteemed  it  as  one  of  his  best  works.  Modern 
critics,  however,  have  busied  themselves  trying  to  interpret 
the  story  it  tells.  Berlioz  and  Ambros  call  it  a  rustic  wed- 
ding ;  Marx,  Moorish  knighthood ;  Oulibicheff,  a  masked 


56     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

ball;  and  Bischoff.  a  sequel  to  the  Pastoral  symphony. 
Richard  Wagner,  with  his  keen  insight  into  the  subjectivity 
of  music,  declares  that  it  is  the  apotheosis  of  the  Hafm»t 
the  ideal  embodiment  in  tones  of  the  bodily  movement,  — 
a  definition  which  admirably  applies  to  the  symphony,  as 
nearly  all  its  motives  are  ideally  perfect  dance  rhythms. 

The  introduction,  a  Poco  sostenuto  in  the  key  of  A 
major,  is  almost  a  movement  in  itself,  and  contains  one  of 
the  happiest  and  most  delicate  phrases  to  be  found  any- 
where in  Beethoven's  music,  as  follows  :  — 


N      K 

e. *_ 


This  episode  occurs  twice,  preceded  and  followed  by  as- 
cending scales  running  through  two  octaves,  which  are 
significant  for  the  very  staccato  manner  in  which  they  are 
given.  The  last  part  of  the  above  quotation,  occurring  as 
it  does  in  the  repeat  on  the  chord  of  F  major,  is  reiterated 
during  a  short  crescendo,  and  suddenly  resolves  into  the 
note  E,  given  out  by  all  the  instruments  fortissimo  and 
repeated  during  the  remaining  ten  measures  of  the  intro- 
duction and  the  first  four  bars  of  the  following  Vivace,  in 
various  rhythms.  At  the  entrance  of  the  new  movement 
it  has  the  dotted  rhythm  of  the  quail-call,  which  is  the 
predominating  feature  of  the  whole  movement :  — 


BEETHOVEN  57 

In  these  quotations  the  musician  will  be  able  to  detect  the 
germ  in  one  form  or  another  of  nearly  every  measure  of 
the  first  movement.  The  skipping  rhythm  and  the  melo- 
dic structure,  not  only  as  a  whole  but  also  in  the  smaller 
sections,  are  so  pregnant  that  they  are  sufficient  for  the 
magician  who  in  the  working  out  brings  all  his  art  and 
devices  into  play.  The  opening  suggests  the  dancing 
along  of  a  bevy  of  happy  girls,  but  when  Beethoven  feels 
in  that  mood  it  is  impossible  to  trace  him  step  by  step. 
The  giggling  of  the  girls,  the  boisterous  fun  of  the  boys, 
the  Homeric  laughter  of  the  elders,  an  attempt  at  dignity 
followed  by  a  reckless  plunge  into  hilarity,  sudden  pianis- 
simos  followed  by  fortissimos,  harmonic  changes  for  which 
there  is  no  time  to  prepare  in  the  general  rush,  now  a 
coaxingly  gentle  phrase,  now  a  war  of  words  short  but  em- 
phatic, —  these  are  the  characteristics  of  the  first  part.  The 
ill-tempered  outbreak  at  the  end  of  this  part  is  repeated 
at  the  beginning  of  the  second,  only  the  flutes  scream  a 
third  higher  than  before ;  then  a  pause,  and  the  violins 
move  off  again  pianissimo  1  ,  while  the  basses 

come  in  with  a  long  scale  in  the  same  rhythm,  as  if  they 
were  ashamed  of  having  been  led  into  loud  words  and 
were  now  trying  to  reestablish  good  feeling.  The  Coda 
contains  one  of  those  phrases  which  by  their  monotonous 
repeats  partake  somewhat  of  the  nature  of  a  pedal  point ; 
and  on  the  other  hand  remind  us  of  the  peculiarity  of 
Slavonic  music,  in  which  this  everlasting  and  monotonous 
repeat  of  one  figure  plays  so  characteristic  a  part.  The 
basses  support  a  steady  crescendo  from  pianissimo  to  for- 
tissimo during  twenty-two  measures  with  this  figure  :  — 


The   Allegretto,   which   takes   the   place   of  the   slow 
movement,  is  in  A  minor,  |   time,  and  is  built  up  on 


58     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

the  following  rhythmic  figure  :  |  J  ^  |  j  J  I .  The 
melody  of  the  first  part  moves  within  the  interval  of  a 
third,  and  is  of  the  simplest  construction.  The  move- 
ment itself  is  constructed  on  a  long  crescendo  as  gradual 
as  it  is  persistent,  and  irresistible  in  its  natural  strength. 
The  production  of  such  colossal  effects  by  such  simple 
means  is  one  of  the  glories  of  Beethoven's  genius.  The 
second  part,  in  A  major,  opens  with  this  lovely  melody  :  — 


Clarinet. 


n«  If                                  •*• 

v  *.«• 

,XL     I*        m        9 

r 

f.     t 

accompanied  in  triplets  by  the  violins,  with  the  steady 
dactylus  |  J  ^  |  as  a  support  in  the  basses.  A  short 
interlude  of  staccato  scales  brings  us  back  to  the  first 
theme,  which  is  now  worked  up  in  the  accompaniment  in 
the  style  of  a  variation.  Then  the  A  major  episode  is  re- 
peated. The  Coda,  in  A  minor,  after  a  few  sudden 
dynamic  transitions,  falls  back  on  the  original  theme  and 
dies  away  in  a  pianissimo,  in  the  last  six  measures,  how- 
ever, rising  pho3nix-like  in  this  most  original  manner :  — 


BEETHOVEN 


59 


The  Scherzo,  marked  "  Presto,"  in  F  major,  opens  with 
the  simple  device  of  moving  through  the  intervals  of  the 
chord  of  F,  but  stamped  by  the  master's  hand  with  the 
form  at  a :  — 


followed  by  a  descending  scale  motive,  b.  The  third  mo- 
tive, growing  out  of  c,  furnishes  by  the  repetition  of  the 
half-steps  the  principal  material  for  the  middle  section  of 
the  second  part.  The  last  four  measures  of  the  Presto 
dwell  on  a  prolonged  A  held  by  all  the  instruments,  bring- 
ing in  some  part  of  the  orchestra  throughout  the  whole 
Trio,  which  changes  into  the  key  of  D  major,  Assai  meno 
presto.  This  A,  suspended  in  mid-air  as  it  were,  with 
only  an  occasional  pulsation  into  the  G  sharp  below,  sheds 
an  air  of  serenity  over  the  whole  which  greatly  enhances 
the  restfulness  of  the  melodic  theme  :  — 


-r  p    i  -s-y-  -P- — ¥-*-  -F 


-*-X- 


•J5 


60     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 


The  second  part  contains  a  most  peculiar  effect  for  the 
second  horn,  which  on  a  low  A  and  G  sharp  in  different 
rhythms  for  twenty-six  measures  leads  to  a  fortissimo  re- 
peat of  the  main  theme,  the  trumpets  ringing  out  the 
sustained  A,  supported  by  the  kettle-drums,  —  a  phrase 
which  is  almost  without  parallel  for  the  expression  of  ex- 
alted, noble,  and  serene  sentiment.  An  interlude,  piano 
and  diminuendo,  changing  between  the  chords  of  D  and 
A,  with  a  sudden  drop  into  the  seventh  chord  on  C,  leads 
back  to  the  Presto.  The  Trio  is  then  played  again,  fol- 
lowed by  another  repeat  of  the  Presto  and  a  short  Coda, 
reminding  one  of  the  Scherzo  in  the  Fourth  symphony. 

The  last  movement,  Allegro  con  brio,  in  A  major,  |  time, 
takes  up  the  joyous  strain  of  the  first  movement  and  opens 
with  the  following  whirling  figure  in  the  violins  :  — 


etc., 


which  is  supplemented  by 


etc., 


accompanied  by  full  short  strokes  of  the  string  instru- 
ments. The  following  two  motives  complete  the  material 
for  this  movement :  — 


f    P     f 


BEETHOVEN  61 

The  lightness  and  grace  of  the  theme  at  a  and  the  dance- 
like  rhythm  at  b,  with  the  mazurka  accentuation  of  the 
second  quarter,  the  use  of  dotted  groups  in  the  connecting 
phrases,  the  almost  martial  tread  produced  by  the  frequent 
employment  of  full  chords,  abruptly  and  forcibly  marking 
the  beats,  the  frequent  changes  of  key,  etc.,  —  all  these 
factors  impart  to  the  movement  an  exuberant  spirit  which 
stamps  it  and  the  whole  symphony  as  one  of  the  most 
complete  expressions  of  whole-souled  enjoyment  of  life 
our  musical  literature  contains. 


SYMPHONY  No.  8,  IN  F.     OP.  93 

1.  ALLEGRO  VIVACE  E  CON  BRIO. 

2.  ALLEGRETTO  SCHERZANDO. 

3.  MENUETTO  E  TRIO. 

4.  FINALE.    ALLEGRO  VIVACE. 

The  Eighth  symphony  was  written  in  1812  at  Linz, 
whither  Beethoven  had  repaired  upon  the  advice  of  his 
physician  for  the  benefit  of  his  health.  It  was  composed 
at  a  sad  period  of  his  life,  for  besides  his  sufferings  from 
shattered  health  he  was  engaged  in  a  most  unpleasant  law- 
suit forced  upon  him  by  his  unworthy  sister-in-law  and 
undertaken  in  the  interest  of  a  graceless  nephew.  Not- 
withstanding these  depressing  events  the  symphony  is  one 
of  the  brightest,  most  cheerful,  and  most  humorous  works 
that  he  ever  conceived.  He  speaks  of  it  himself  in  a  let- 
ter to  Salomon  as  the  "  Kleine  Sinfonie  in  F,"  not  that  it 
was  little,  but  to  distinguish  it  from  the  "  Grosse  Sinfonie 
in  A"  (the  Seventh)  composed  in  the  same  year.  We 
know  from  Beethoven's  sketch-book  that  this  symphony 
had  occupied  his  mind  for  a  long  time,  but  its  actual  pro- 
duction must  have  been  the  spontaneous  expression  of  a 
very  happy  mood  of  the  composer,  when  he  felt  inclined 
to  banter  jokes  and  give  free  play  to  that  humor  which,  as 


62     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

we  know  by  his  letters,  occasionally  seized  him  in  spite  of 
his  great  and  growing  misfortune. 

As  if  serious  preparation  were  unnecessary  he  plunges  at 
once  into  the  work  and  opens  the  first  Allegro  vivace  con 
brio  in  F  major  with  the  main  theme  :  — 


-ft 


An  intermediate  phrase,  closing  with 
b          f  f  db 


"fix"'' 


1X1 


^ 


leads  into  the  second  theme,  — 


^^^ 


£ 


which,  containing  a  short  ritardando,  is  then  repeated  by 
the  wind  instruments,  and  after  a  series  of  modulations 
runs  into  this  motive  for  the  full  orchestra :  — 


The  first  part  closes  with  the  following  skipping  figure 
.  e. 


££ 


BEETHOVEN 


which  is  in  reality  only  an  extension  into  the  octave  of  the 
motive  of  b.  The  latter  is  frequently  utilized  during  the 
second  part  in  connection  with  the  motive  from  the  open- 


ing phrase,  which  is  employed  with  all  the  art  of  the  con- 
trapuntist either  in  imitations  or  enlarged  into  longer 
phrases  for  the  basses,  which  during  seventy-six  measures 
really  dominate  the  melody  and  finally  rest  on  the  octave 
skip  at  e.  Then  follows  a  pianissimo  passage,  which  ap- 
propriates the  tetrachord  at  the  close  of  the  first  theme  a 
marked  *,  and  in  canon  form  leads  through  a  crescendo 
to  a  hold,  after  which  a  Coda  commencing  with 


brings  the  first  movement  to  a  close,  in  its  jocular  way 
reminding  us  forcibly  of  the  closing  of  the  Minuet  in 
Mozart's  G  minor  symphony. 

The  slow  movement  is  again  supplanted  by  an  Allegretto 
scherzando  in  B  flat,  |  time.     It  is  the  well-known 

Oboes. 

^••"^••^      ^^••^•i 

j± 


9  Violin.  etc., 

which  depends  on  its  staccato  character  and  fine  instru- 
mentation for  its  daintiness,  and  has  only  one  legato 
phrase  in  the  whole  movement :  — 

Oboe. 

*— ^h^— '\-LJf  toF*-imH*-£+- 

-    etc. 
\  nv>. 

Violin. 


64     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

The  Minuet,  in  F,  appears  this  time  in  its  own  true 
character,  and  develops  the  stately  dance  with  its  gliding 
figures  to  a  perfection  only  found  in  the  best  efforts  of 
Haydn  and  Mozart.  The  third  part,  or  Trio,  has  this 
opening  for  the  horns, — 


etc., 


anticipating  a  vein  of  which  Schubert  frequently  availed 
himself.     The  Minuet  is  then  repeated. 

The  last  part,  Allegro  vivace,  in  F  major,  opens  with 
this  tremulous  figure  for  the  violins,  pianissimo  :  — 
I 


£¥ 


As  we  have  had  occasion  several  times  to  mention  Bee- 
thoven's sketch-books,  we  copy  this  motive  as  he  jotted  it 
down  at  its  first  inception  :  — 


BEETHOVEN  65 

The  reader  can  form  some  idea  from  this  how  conscien- 
tiously and  diligently  Beethoven  matured  these  fundamen- 
tal ideas  before  he  established  the  forms  in  which  we  now 
have  them,  and  which,  as  we  have  said  before,  cannot  be 
altered  in  any  degree  without  destroying  them.  The 
second  theme  is  the  following  cantilena :  — 


After  a  jubilant  fortissimo  about  the  middle  of  the  move- 
ment, the  music  is  interrupted  by  frequent  rests,  the  triplet 
figure  gliding  past  like  a  spider  across  his  web,  stopping 
short,  then  rushing  on  again  to  a  second  hold,  after  which 
a  new  design  is  introduced  in  a  descending  scale  in  the 
strings,  and  is  opposed  in  the  wind  instruments  by  a  simi- 
lar scale,  ascending.  These  scales  move  quietly  and  pian- 
issimo in  semibreves,  while  the  triplet  figure  is  flitting 
about  here  and  there  until  the  scale  motive  is  brought  in, 
fortissimo.  The  marvellous  skill  of  the  composer  which  is 
brought  into  play  in  this  movement  could  only  be  pointed 
out  at  great  length,  and  is  of  secondary  importance  to  the 
listener.  To  the  ear  all  is  joyous  excitement.  Surprise 
chases  surprise.  Fortissimos  are  relieved  by  sudden  pian- 
issimos,  the  close  figure  of  the  opening  theme  by  the 
octave  jumps  in  the  basses,  and  the  tremulous  double  trip- 
let by  crashing  syncopations,  running  at  last  into  a  most 
boisterous  phrase  with  a  sforzando  on  every  other  note, — 
an  apparently  reckless  performance,  but  produced  and 
subordinated  by  scientific  devices.  The  main  themes  are 
once  more  hastily  touched,  and  the  movement  exhausts  it- 
self in  a  long  repetition  of  the  final  chord,  as  if  trying  to 
reach  the  longed-for  rest. 

The  joyous,  happy  spirit  pervading  the  whole  compo- 
sition, with  its  intermezzos  of  fun  and  quiet  humor,  will 

5 


66     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

not  fail  to  impress  any  hearer.  When  compared  with  the 
works  of  the  later  romanticists,  Schubert,  Mendelssohn,  and 
Schumann,  it  seems  to  contain  many  ideas  foreshadowing 
those  which  they  developed  to  such  perfection,  though  to 
Beethoven's  more  serious  cast  of  mind  these  sportive  fan- 
cies were  only  incidental.  Listen  to  the  motives  at  a,  b,  and 
e ;  the  pizzicato  closing  of  the  first  movement ;  the  airy, 
perfectly  magic  opening  of  the  Allegretto ;  and  last,  but 
not  least,  to  the  peculiar  buzzing  character  of  the  double 
triplet  in  the  last  movement  when  employed  pianissimo. 
These  phrases  only  need  an  intentional  intepretation  to 
suggest  the  best  samples  of  elfin  music  from  Mendelssohn's 
"  A  Midsummer  Night's  Dream,"  or  Berlioz's  "  Queen 
Mab." 

SYMPHONY  No.  9,  IN  D  MINOR  (CHORAL).     OP.  125 
I.  INSTRUMENTAL. 

1.  ALLEGRO  MA  NON  TROPPO,  UN  POCO  MAESTOSO. 

2.  SCHERZO,  MOLTO  VIVACE;  TRIO,  PRESTO. 

3.  ADAGIO  MOLTO  E  CANTABILE. 

4.  RECITATIVE,  PRESTO;  ALLEGRO  MA  NON  TROPPO,  ETC. 

5.  ALLEGRO  ASSAI. 

II.  VOCAL. 

1.  RECITATIVE. 

2.  QUARTETTE  AND  CHORUS:  ALLEGRO  ASSAI. 

3.  TENOR  SOLO  AND  CHORUS:  ALLEGRO  ASSAI  VIVACE;  ALLA 

MARCIA. 

4.  CHORUS  :  ANDANTE  MAESTOSO. 

5.  CHORUS  :  ALLEGRO  ENERGICO,  SEMPRE  BEN  MARCATO. 

6.  QUARTETTE  AND  CHORUS:  ALLEGRO  MA  NON  TANTO. 

7.  CHORUS:  PRESTISSIMO. 

The  Ninth,  or  "Choral,"  symphony,  written  in  1823, 
the  last  of  the  immortal  group,  stands  prominently  out 
among  all  other  works  of  its  class  by  its  combination  of 
voices  and  instruments.  Before  its  composition,  Bee- 
thoven had  been  preparing  the  way  for  such  a  union.  In 


BEETHOVEN 


the  Choral  Fantasie,  written  in  1808,  he  advanced  upon 
the  idea  by  employing  a  chorus  in  the  Finale ;  but  in  the 
Choral  symphony  he  made  a  still  bolder  advance,  and  in- 
troduced a  chorus  with  variations  on  a  colossal  scale. 
There  is  a  striking  resemblance  between  the  two  in  the 
choral  parts,  and  Beethoven  himself  describes  the  sym- 
phony as  being  "  in  the  style  of  the  Pianoforte  Choral 
Fantasie,  but  on  a  far  larger  scale."  Schiller's  "  An  die 
Freude,"  the  "  Ode  to  Joy,"  was  selected  by  Beethoven  for 
the  Finale.  Thirty  years  before  the  composition  was  really 
begun  he  had  had  this  poem  in  mind  as  a  fitting  subject 
for  musical  treatment,  as  is  shown  by  a  letter  written  to 
Schiller's  sister  in  1 793,  and  the  symphony  was  not  per- 
formed until  1824.  In  1811  an  attempt  to  set  the  words 
is  found  in  sketches  of  the  Seventh  and  Eighth  symphonies. 
The  first  of  these  sketches  is  given  as  follows,  by  Thayer :  — 

Ouverture,  "  SCHILLER." 


jx-x- 


xx 


Freu   -    de       scho    -    ner 


Got    -    ter 


Fun    -  ken 


E^ 


Tbch    -      ter 


li 


After  various  attempts,  as  indicated  by  his  sketch-books, 
Beethoven  adopted  an  entirely  new  melody,  which  was 
finally  evolved  into  the  present  setting. 

The  progress  and  performance  of  the  symphony  come 
next  in  order.  On  the  sixth  of  April,  1822,  Beethoven 
wrote  to  his  friend  and  pupil  Ferdinand  Ries,  then  in  Lon- 
don, asking  what  the  Philharmonic  Society  would  be  likely 
to  pay  him  for  a  symphony.  Ries  brought  the  matter  to 
the  attention  of  the  Society,  and  it  authorized  him  to  offer 
Beethoven  $250  for  a  manuscript  symphony.  On  the 


68     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

twentieth  of  December  he  accepted  the  commission.  He 
concluded  his  labors  in  1824,  and  sent  the  manuscript  to 
London,  though  it  was  first  given  in  Vienna  at  the  Karnth- 
nerthor  Theatre,  May  7  of  that  year.  The  manuscript 
copy  in  the  possession  of  the  London  Philharmonic 
Society  bears  the  following  inscription  in  Beethoven's 
handwriting :  — 

Grosse  Sinfonie,  geschrieben 
fur  die  Philharmonische  Gesellschaft 

in  London, 

von  Ludwig  van  Beethoven. 
Erster  Sat/. 

The  symphony  is  without  introduction  proper.  There 
is  a  prologue  introducing  the  first  subject,  "  always  pianis- 
simo," in  which  the  instruments  seem  to  be  feeling  their 
way.  It  begins  with  an  incomplete  chord,  'cello,  second 
violin,  and  horns,  the  first  violins  following  sotto  voce :  — 


Sempre. 


SottO  VOCe.  |S      vi°lin  !• 


» 


~£r- 


pp 


Violin  II. 


F-.f 


?  H  H  •)  *i^= 

4    •  •  •  •  m 


'Cello. 


>Lr* 

i 

N» 

ny 

5n     . 

•   J 

-   *-     . 

m    '  .           m    ' 

Viola. 


*T 


BEETHOVEN 


69 


After  a  repetition  the  real  work  begins.  Against  the  back- 
ground of  the  second  violins  and  'cellos,  strengthened  by 
the  sustained  tones  of  the  horns,  clarinets,  and  flutes,  the 
violins,  tenors,  and  contrabasses  appear  in  broken  phrases. 
T^ien  the  wind  instalments  come  in  one  by  one,  and  at 
lasTwith  a  mighty  cfe'Sc'endo  the  whole  orchestra  in  unison 
sweeps  into  the  first  subject :  — 


The  great  crescendo  dies  away,  but  the  titanic  crash  is  re- 
newed again  and  again  whenever  the  theme  occurs.  It  is 
a  struggle  full  of  hopelessness  and  melancholy,  a  many- 
colored  picture  of  the  feelings  and  moods  which  must 
have  possessed  the  mind  of  the  composer.  The  second 
subject  — 

Clarinet.  > 


etc., 


7o     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

is  in  striking  contrast  with  the  first,  being  tranquil  and 
gentle  in  its  inception.  At  its  conclusion,  the  violins  an- 
nounce another  energetic  phrase,  and  the  strife  is  resumed, 
at  last  reaching  an  episode  from  which  is  developed  a  brief 
but  very  melodious  passage  followed  by  a  second  episode 
for  the  strings  in  unison,  that  leads  on  to  the  close  of  the 
first  part  of  the  movement,  ending  fortissimo  and  in  uni- 
son. This  division  is  not  repeated.  In  its  place  Bee- 
thoven proceeds  with  the  working  out  of  his  materials  with 
a  vigor  and  majesty  that  have  never  been  surpassed,  the 
orchestral  parts  moving  independently  of  each  other  and 
frequently  opposed,  yet  forming  well-developed  parts  of  a 
grand  whole,  until  the  Coda  is  reached,  into  which  he 
seems  to  have  thrown  not  only  all  his  skill  but  all  of  his 
own  conflicting  moods  and  restless,  agitated  spirit ;  for  this 
symphony  was  written  during  a  period  of  his  life  filled  with 
deep,  brooding  melancholy.  The  old  subjects  and  epi- 
sodes are  worked  up  with  profound  skill ;  but  before  he 
closes,  a  new  and  darker  subject  appears  in  the  strings, 
companion  to  a  threnody  sung  by  the  reeds,  the  strings 
repeating  a  chromatic  passage  through  and  above  which  is 
heard  the  wail  of  the  oboes,  until  the  movement  closes 
with  a  powerful  outburst,  as  if  the  soul  were  seeking  to  free 
itself  from  the  menaces  of  destiny. 

After  twelve  bars  of  prelude   the   orchestra   is   fairly 
launched  into  the  Scherzo,  as  follows :  — 

Molto  vivace. 


BEETHOVEN 


Viol 

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jn  which  all  thi>  jiytrnmcnts  successively  join  with  spirited 
and  brilliant  effect.  The  wind  instruments  follow  with  a 
second  theme,  accompanied  by  the  strings,  which,  after 
repetition,  leads  up  to  still  other  tuneful  motives  given  out 
by  the  winds.  The  Scherzo  closes  pianissimo,  but  at  fast 
the  horns  and  trombones  joyfully  announce  the  Trio  with 
its  charming  pastoral  opening  :  — 

Oboes  and  Clarinet. 


n*t                           -            J          ^-             •"*"    •    •     -     J 

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^ 


A  vivacious  subject  for  violas  and  'cellos  follows  the  first, 
and  then  the  horns  fairly  revel  in  the  principal  theme  until 
the  Coda  is  reached,  in  which  the  whole  orchestra  joins 
with  the  utmost  joyousness. 


STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 


From  the  storm  and  stress  of  the  Allegro  and  the  geni- 
ality and  hilarity  of  the  Scherzo,  the  third  movement, 
Adagio,  changes  to  celestial  rest  and  serenity,  and  is  among 
the  noblest,  purest,  and  most  grandly  beautiful  hymns  of 
joy  the  great  master  has  written.  It  is  made  up  oj^Jwo 
distinct  subjects  differing  in  every  musical  respect,  which 
are  alternately  developed  until  the  second  disappears. 
The  first,  Adagio  molto  e  cantabile,  is  in  B  flat,  and  for 
delicious  repose  and  ethereal  sweetness  can  hardly  be  ex- 
celled in  the  whole  realm  of  musical  art.  It  is  taken  by 
the  quartette  of  strings  with  interludes  by  the  clarinets 
and  horns,  as  follows  :  — 


Adagio  molto  e  cantabile. 


Aftetlhe_5trings_have-fiBishe.d  the 


gart  of  jthe  movement  comes  to  a  close,  the  time  changes 
as  well  as  the  key,  and  the  second  violins  arid  terf6i?~ah- 
nounce  the  following  subject  in  unison,  which  In"  its  quiet, 
graceful,  and  smoothly  flowing  measures  almost  rivals  its 
companion  :  — 


BEETHOVEN 

Andante  moderate.     Con  expressione. 


73 


transition  from,  thfe  gej^np  mnvpmpnt  tn  the  Finale 

is  a  sfrjrtlin^  nne.     The  wind  instruments  and  drums,  re- 
inforced  by  the   double-bassoon,  break  out  in  a  most 

clamorous  fanfare,  which  is  interrupted  by  a  recitative 
passage  for  the  double-basses,  as  if  expostulating  against 
the  uproar.  It  is  to  little  purpose,  however,  for  the  clamor 
is  renewed  even  more  boisterously.  Again  the  recita- 
tive is  heard,  and  again  the,  clamor;  hut  at  last  therejg, 
an_instant's  hush.  The,  opening  bars  of,  the  JirsL  .three 

alternating   with   recitative,  but   these 


apppar, 


evidently  are  not  wanted.  4t,  I*5*  thgjjnaj^theme  is  fore- 
shadowed,  quietly  and  almost  timidly,  until  the  'cellos  and 
basses  vigorously  and  unmistakably  give  it  out  in  the  set- 
ting of  the  "  Hymn  of  Joy  "  :  — 

Allegro  assai. 


*^>-t.     t 


rlr  rr  ire 


•f)  'Cello*  and  Basses. 


-& F- 


si:r  rfircrrrircrrrirNH 

cres      to 
" 


rrrnf rrrir  i^rnri 


74    STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 
Not  the  violas  and  'cellos  take  the  theme,  then  the  first 


orchestra  in    fulr-force. 

its  variation,  the  ominous  clamor  which  introduced 
the  Presto  is  heard  again.  This  time  it  is  not  interrupted 
by  the  basses,  bat  by  the  solo  barytone  intoning  the 
recitative  ("  O  Brothers,  these  tones  no  longer  !  Rather 
let  us  join  to  sing  in  cheerful  measures  a  song  of  joyful- 
ness  ")  .  The  same  voice  sings  the  Hymn,  accompanied 
by  the  oboes  and  clarinets,  and  is  followed  by  the  chorus, 
at  first  without  the  sopranos,  and  alternating  with  the 
solo  quartette  (**  Hail  thee,  Joy,  from  Heaven  descending, 
daughter  from  Elysium  !  "). 

N.    A.I.A        .,-.'-  -  .«^4~     i  __  *Bi  .  _-a  ' 

QW-   toff    ffrCDfSLEil—  EC^^MftttS    WHO     mflTTl^ 


which  the  percussion  instilments  are  used  with  powerful 
effect,  introducing  the  tenor  solo,  with  chorus,  in  a  varia- 
tion of~the  theme,  "Joytul  lite  herlsons  so  glorious.  " 
TEcTnexTnumber  is  also  for  chorus,  and  its  solemnity  and 
religions  sentiment  finely  contrast  with  the  martial  clang 
of  its  predecessor.  It  is  at  Jusfr-given-^q^by  the  male 
voices,  the  female  voices  following  ("  Millions,  loving,  I 
enibraoe~you  ").  Eoilowing  this 


spiriywith  a  lively  accompaniment,  based  upon  the  two 
related~themes  tHat  have  been^mpjoyed  ("HaH  thee, 
Joy,  trom  Heaven  descending,  daughter  from  Elysium," 
etc.).  The  solo  quartette  again  intones  the  Hymn,  alter- 
nating with  chorus  ("  Hail  thee,  daughter  from  Elysium, 
thine  enchantments  bind  together").  The  time  is  gradu- 
ally accelerated  to  a  Prestissimo,  and  voices  and  orches- 
tra in  mil  volume  dose  the  work  with  the  triumphant 
shout:  — 

"  Mfllions,  loving,  I  embrace  TOO, 
All  the  world  this  kiss  I  send,*'  etc 


BEETHOVEN  75 


CHORAL  FANTASIE  IN  C  MINOR.     OP.  80 

[FOR  PIANO,  ORCHESTRA,  AND  CHORUS] 

1.  ADAGIO  (Piano). 

2.  FINALE,  ALLEGRO. 

a.  ALLEGRO  (Orchestra). 

b.  MENO  ALLEGRO  (Piano  and  Orchestra). 

c.  ALLEGRETTO,  MA  NON  TROPPO  (Chorus). 

Beethoven's  sketch-book  shows  that  some  of  the  mate- 
rials for  the  Choral  Fantasie  were  collected  as  early  as 
1800,  though  it  was  not  given  until  December  22,  1808, 
when  Beethoven  himself  produced  it.  It  is  written  in 
two  general  sections :  an  Adagio  and  Allegro,  for  piano 
solo,  orchestra,  solo  quartette,  and  chorus.  While  the  work 
is  very  beautiful  and  effective  in  itself,  it  derives  special 
interest  from  its  being  the  prototype  of  the  Choral  sym- 
phony. In  a  letter  written  to  Probst,  March  10,  1824, 
the  composer  mentions  the  Finale  of  the  symphony  as  "  in 
the  same  style  as  the  Fantasie,  but  more  extended."  A 
striking  resemblance  indeed  will  be  found  between  the 
two  Finales,  not  only  in  their  general  form  of  variations, 
but  in  the  consecutive  character  of  the  notes  and  the 
melody  of  the  themes  themselves,  the  one  clearly  antici- 
pating the  other  in  many  respects.  The  Fantasie  was 
first  published  in  1811,  under  the  title  of  "  Fantasie  fur 
das  Pianoforte,  mit  Begleitung  des  ganzen  Orchesters  und 
Chor  "  ("  Fantasie  for  pianoforte  with  accompaniment  of 
full  orchestra  and  chorus"),  and  was  dedicated  to  Maxi- 
milian Joseph,  king  of  Bavaria.  The  poem  which  forms 
the  subject  of  the  Finale  was  written  by  Kuffner,  and  is 
devoted  to  the  praise  of  music. 

The  Adagio  with  which  the  work  opens  is  a  fantasie  for 
piano  alone,  after  which  the  Finale  begins  with  an  Allegro 
in  C  minor,  the  opening  theme  of  which  is  given  out 


76     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

pianissimo  by  the  basses  in  a  very  grave  and  dignified 
manner  and  subsequently  developed  in  canon  form  by  the 
violins.  The  oboes  and  horns  now  introduce  a  new  theme 
which  is  taken  up  by  the  piano  with  accompaniment  of 
the  horns,  the  melody  being  adapted  from  one  of  Bee- 
thoven's songs  ("Seufzer  eines  Ungeliebten"),  written  in 
1795:  — 


Dolce. 


First  the  piano  and  then  the  other  instruments  repeat 
this  theme  with  variations,  after  which  the  entire  orchestra 
brings  it  to  a  close  in  firm  and  stately  style.  A  short 
phrase  by  the  piano  preludes  a  development  of  the  first 
section  of  the  melody  through  an  Allegro,  an  Adagio,  and 
a  march  tempo,  at  the  end  of  which  the  piano  introduces 
a  new  phrase  closing  with  an  arpeggio.  A  genuine  con- 
test ensues  between  the  piano  and  the  basses,  which  comes 
to  an  end  as  the  wind  instruments  give  out  the  leading 
theme,  which  is  first  taken  up  by  the  solo  voices  with  piano 
accompaniment  and  then  by  full  chorus  and  orchestra, 
bringing  the  work  to  a  brilliant  and  powerful  close. 


SIR  JDLJCS  BENEDICT 


BENEDICT 

1804-1885 
SAINT  CECILIA 

THE  cantata  of  "Saint  Cecilia"  was  composed  for 
the  Norwich  (Eng.)  Festival  of  1866.  It  contains 
thirteen  numbers,  and  the  solos  are  assigned  as  follows  : 
Cecilia,  soprano ;  Valerianus,  tenor ;  Prefect  of  Rome, 
bass ;  a  Christian  woman,  alto.  The  remaining  numbers 
are  given  to  choruses  of  Roman  citizens,  Christians,  and 
angels.  A  tender  and  sorrowful  prelude,  foreshadowing 
the  tragedy,  introduces  a  bright  and  joyous  wedding 
chorus  ("Let  the  lutes  play  their  loudest"),  which  in 
its  middle  part  is  divided  between  male  and  female  choir, 
returning  to  four-part  harmony  in  the  close.  The  next 
number  is  an  ecstatic  love-song  for  Valerianus  ("The  love 
too  deep  for  words  to  speak  "),  which  leads  up  to  a  scena 
and  duet  for  Valerianus  and  Cecilia  ("  O  my  Lord,  if  I 
must  grieve  you"),  which  is  dramatic  in  its  texture. 
The  conversion  music,  including  an  obligato  soprano  solo 
with  chorus  of  angels  ("Praise  the  Lord "),  recitative 
and  air  for  tenor  with  choral  responses  ("  Cease  not,  I 
pray  you"),  and  an  animated  chorus  of  angels  ("From 
our  home"),  follows  and  closes  the  first  part. 

The  second  part  opens  with  the  curse  of  the  Prefect, 
a  passionate  aria  for  bass  ("  What  mean  these  zealots 
vile?"),  following  which  in  marked  contrast  is  a  lovely 
aria  for  contralto  ("Father,  whose  blessing  we  entreat"). 
The  next  number,  a  quartette  with  full  choral  accompani- 
ment ("God  is  our  hope  and  strength"),  is  one  of  the 


78     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

most  effective  in  the  work,  and  is  followed  by  the  trial 
scene,  a  duet  between  Valerianus  and  the  Prefect,  the 
latter  accompanied  by  chorus.  A  short  funeral  march 
intervenes.  Valerianus  and  Cecilia  bid  each  other  fare- 
well ;  the  former  is  borne  away,  and  Cecilia  sings  her 
dying  song  ("Those  whom  the  Highest  One  befriends") 
amid  the  triumphant  hallelujahs  of  the  angels. 


BENNETT 

1816-1875 

THE  WOMAN  OF  SAMARIA 

"  x  I  ^HE  Woman  of  Samaria,"  a  short,  one-part  oratorio, 
A  styled  by  its  composer  a  "  sacred  cantata,"  was 
first  produced  at  the  Birmingham  Festival,  August  27, 
1867  ;  though  one  of  his  biographers  affirms  that  as  early 
as  1843  he  was  shown  a  chorus  for  six  voices,  treated  anti- 
phonally,  which  Bennett  himself  informed  him  was  to  be 
introduced  in  an  oratorio  he  was  then  contemplating,  and 
that  this  chorus,  if  not  identical  with  "  Therefore  they 
shall  come,"  in  "  The  Woman  of  Samaria,"  is  at  least  the 
foundation  of  it. 

The  work  is  written  for  four  solo  voices,  chorus,  and 
orchestra.  The  soprano  takes  the  part  of  the  Woman  of 
Samaria,  the  other  parts  being  impersonal.  The  music 
for  the  contralto  is  mainly  declamatory.  The  tenor  has  a 
single  aria,  while  the  bass,  with  one  exception,  has  the 
part  of  Narrator,  the  words  of  our  Saviour  being  attributed 
to  him  and  invariably  introduced  in  the  third  personal 
form,  —  which  is  a  striking  proof  of  the  devotional  spirit 
of  the  composer,  as  in  all  other  instances,  after  the  an- 
nouncement by  the  Narrator,  the  Woman  sings  her  own 
words.  The  chorus,  as  in  the  Passion-music  of  Bach, 
has  the  reflective  numbers  and  moralizes  on  the  various 
situations  as  they  occur,  except  in  one  number  ("  Now 
we  believe"),  where  it  declaims  the  words  as  a  part 
of  the  narrative  itself.  The  text  for  chorus  is  selected 
from  appropriate  parts  of  the  Scriptures  which  are  in 


8o     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

keeping  with  the  events  forming  the  groundwork  of  its 
reflections. 

The  story  is  taken  from  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  Gos- 
pel according  to  Saint  John,  and  follows  literally  the  nar- 
rative of  the  journey  of  the  Saviour  into  Samaria,  —  His 
rest  at  Jacob's  well,  His  meeting  with  the  woman  who 
came  thither  to  draw  water,  and  the  conversation  which 
followed ;  the  only  interruptions  being  the  reflections,  not 
only  by  the  chorus,  but  also  by  the  contralto  and  tenor, 
these  episodes  being  taken  mostly  from  the  Prophecies 
and  Psalms. 

The  oratorio  opens  with  a  brief  instrumental  introduc- 
tion and  chorale  ("Ye  Christian  people,  now  rejoice") 
for  sopranos  alone,  the  melody  of  which  first  appeared  in 
the  "  Geistliche  Lieder,"  issued  at  Wittenberg  in  1535. 
The  words  are  a  translation  of  the  old  hymn,  "  Nun  freut 
euch,  lie  ben  Christen  G'mein,"  to  which  the  tune  was 
formerly  sung  in  Germany.  The  treatment  of  this  chorale, 
by  combining  it  with  the  instrumental  movement  in  op- 
posing rhythms,  shows  the  powerful  influence  which  the 
composer's  close  study  of  Bach  had  upon  him.  It  dies 
away  in  slow  and  gentle  numbers,  and  then  follows  the 
opening  recitative  of  the  oratorio  proper  ("  Then  cometh 
Jesus  to  a  city  of  Samaria  "  ),  sung  by  the  contralto,  and 
leading  up  to  an  arioso  chorus  ( "  Blessed  be  the  Lord 
God  of  Israel  "),  the  words  taken  from  the  Gospel  of  Saint 
Luke.  The  next  number  is  a  graceful  and  artistic  com- 
bination, opening  with  recitative  for  contralto,  bass,  and 
soprano,  leading  to  an  adagio  solo  for  bass  ( "  If  thou 
knewest  the  gift  of  God"),  and  ending  with  a  closely 
harmonized  chorus  in  the  same  rhythm  ("  For  with 
Thee  is  the  Well  of  Life"),  the  words  from  the  Psalms. 
The  dialogue  between  Jesus  and  the  Woman  is  then  re- 
sumed, leading  to  a  solo  by  the  latter  ("  Art  Thou  greater 
than  our  Father  Jacob?").  The  question  is  sung  and 


WILLIAM  STERNDALE  BENNETT 


BENNETT  81 

repeated  in  declamatory  tones  constantly  increasing  in 
power  and  expressive  of  defiance.  The  next  number,  the 
reply  of  Jesus  ("  Whosoever  drinketh  "  ),  sung,  as  usual, 
by  the  bass  voice,  is  in  striking  contrast  with  the  question. 
Instead  of  full  orchestra,  it  has  the  accompaniment  of  the 
strings  and  first  and  second  horns  only,  reminding  one  of 
Bach's  method  of  accompanying  the  part  assigned  to 
Jesus  in  his  "Saint  Matthew  Passion."  This  number  is 
followed  by  a  spirited  fortissimo  chorus  ("Therefore  with 
joy  shall  ye  draw  water "),  sung  to  the  full  strength  of 
voice  and  orchestra.  After  the  dialogue  in  which  Jesus 
acquaints  the  Woman  with  the  incidents  of  her  past  life, 
the  contralto  voice  has  an  exquisite  solo  ("O  Lord,  Thou 
hast  searched  me  out "),  full  of  tenderness  and  expression, 
in  which  the  opening  phrase  is  repeated  in  the  Finale  and 
gains  intensity  by  a  change  of  harmony.  The  dialogue, 
in  which  the  divine  character  of  Jesus  becomes  apparent 
to  the  Woman,  is  resumed,  and  leads  to  a  beautifully  con- 
structed chorus  in  six  parts  ("Therefore  they  shall  come 
and  sing"),  followed  by  an  impressive  and  deeply  devo- 
tional quartette  for  the  principals,  unaccompanied  ("  God 
is  a  spirit ").  A  few  bars  of  recitative  lead  to  a  chorus 
in  close,  solid  harmony  ("  Who  is  the  image  of  the  invisi- 
ble God  "),  with  organ  accompaniment  only,  which  in 
turn,  after  a  few  more  bars  of  recitative  for  contralto  and 
soprano,  is  followed  by  the  chorus  ("Come,  O  Israel"), 
sung  pianissimo  and  accompanied  by  entire  orchestra. 
The  next  number,  as  the  oratorio  is  now  performed,  is 
one  which  has  been  introduced.  It  is  a  soprano  aria  ("  I 
will  love  Thee,  O  Lord  "),  which  was  found  among  the 
composer's  manuscripts  after  his  death.  The  introduc- 
tion of  this  air  gives  more  importance  to  the  soprano  part 
and  relieves  the  succession  of  choral  movements  in  the 
close  of  the  work.  The  remaining  numbers  are  the  beau- 
tiful chorale  ("  Abide  with  me,  fast  falls  the  eventide  ")  ; 

6 


82     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

the  chorus  ("  Now  we  believe  "),  one  of  the  most  finished 
in  the  whole  work ;  a  short  tenor  solo  (  "  His  salvation  is 
nigh  them  that  fear  Him ") ,  —  die  only  one  in  the 
oratorio  for  that  voice ;  die  chores  (  "  I  will  call  upon  the 
Lord");  and  the  final  imposing  fugue  (*•  Blessed  be 
the  Lord  God  of  Israel "  ).  The  last  number  is  a  fitting 
close  to  a  work  which  is  not  only  highly  descriptive  of  its 
subject  throughout,  but  also  rail  of  feeling  and  devotional 


THE  MAT  QOEDT 

"The  May  Queen,"  «  pastoral  cantata,  die  libretto  by 
Henry  F.  Choriey,  was  first  ptifanagd  at  die  Leeds  Festi- 
val of  1858.  The  solo  parts  are  written  for  die  May 
Queen,  soprano;  die  Queen,  contralto;  die  Lover, 
tenor;  and  die  Captain  of  die  Foresters,  as  Robin 
Hood,  bass.  The  opening  scene  pictures  die  dressing 
of  die  tree  for  die  spring  festivity  on  die  banks  of  die 
Thames,  and  die  preparations  for  die  reception  of  die 
May  Queen.  A  despondent  lover  enters  and  sings  his 
melancholy  plight  as  he  reflects  upon  die  fickleness  of 
the  May  Queen,  interrupted  at  intervals  by  die  merry 
shouts  of  die  chorus  ("With  a  laugh  as  we  go  round  "). 
The  lover  continues  his  dokfol  lamenting,  which  is  at 
last  interrupted  by  die  entrance  of  die  May  Queen  her- 
self, who  chides  him  for  his  complaints  and  argues  her 
right  to  coquet  on  such  a  day.  As  dieir  interview  closes 
a  band  of  foresters  enter  with,  dieir  greenwood  king, 

3. 


song,  makes  open  love  to  die  May  Queen.  The  enraged 
lover  resents  his  impertinence,  and  at  last  strikes  him  a 
blow,  which  by  die  laws  exposes  him  to  die  loss  of  his 
hand.  Before  be  can  make  his  escape  there  is  a  flourish 
of  trumpets,  and  die  Queen  enters  and  demands  die 
reason  for  die  brawL  The  revellers  inform  her  diat  die 


BENNETT  83 

lover  has  struck  the  forester.  She  orders  his  arrest, 
whereupon  the  May  Queen  intercedes  with  her  for  her 
lover's  release  and  declares  her  affection  for  him.  Her 
appeal  for  mercy  is  granted.  The  forester  is  banished 
from  the  royal  presence  for  lowering  himself  to  the  level 
of  a  peasant  girl,  and  the  May  Queen  is  ordered  to  wed 
her  lover  on  the  coming  morn. 

The  music  of  the  cantata  is  divided  into  ten  numbers, 
which  are  characterized  by  exquisite  refinement  and 
artistic  taste.  The  solos,  particularly  No.  2,  for  tenor 
("  O  meadow,  clad  in  early  green  "),  No.  4,  the  obligato 
soprano  ("With  the  carol  in  the  tree  "),  and  No.  6,  the 
forester's  lusty  greenwood  song  ("  'Tis  jolly  to  hunt  in  the 
bright  moonlight "),  are  very  melodious  and  well  adapted 
to  the  individual  characters.  The  concerted  music  is 
written  in  the  most  scholarly  manner,  the  choruses  are  full 
of  life  and  spirit,  and  the  instrumentation  is  always  effec- 
tive. There  are  few  more  beautiful  cantatas  than  "  The 
May  Queen,"  though  the  composer  was  hampered  by  a 
dull  and  not  very  inspiring  libretto.  Poor  words,  how- 
ever, could  not  affect  his  delightful  grace  and  fancy, 
which  manifest  themselves  in  every  number  of  this  little 
pastoral.  It  is  surprising  that  so  excellent  a  work,  and 
one  which  is  so  well  adapted  to  chorus  singing  and  solo 
display,  without  making  very  severe  demands  upon  the 
singers,  is  not  more  frequently  given  in  this  country. 


BERLIOZ 

1803-1869 

THE  REQUIEM 

IN  1836  Berlioz  was  requested  by  M.  de  Gasparin, 
French  Minister  of  the  Interior,  to  write  a  requiem 
commemorating  the  victims  of  the  July  Revolution ; 
but  the  work  was  not  given  to  the  public  until  1837,  when 
it  was  sung  at  the  Invalides  in  memory  of  General  Damre- 
mont  and  the  soldiers  killed  at  the  siege  of  Constantina. 
It  embraces  ten  numbers :  I,  Requiem  and  Kyrie  ("  Re- 
quiem aeternam  dona  eis  ")  ;  II,  III,  IV,  V,  and  VI,  in- 
cluding different  motives  taken  from  the  hymn,  "  Dies 
Irse ;  "  VII,  "  Offertorium  ;  "  VIII,  "  Hostias  et  Preces  ;  " 
IX,  "  Sanctus ;  "  X,  "  Agnus  Dei."  It  will  be  observed 
that  the  composer  has  not  followed  the  formal  sequences 
of  the  Mass,  and  that  he  has  not  only  omitted  some  of 
the  parts,  but  has  also  frequently  taken  license  with  those 
which  he  uses. 

After  a  brief  but  majestic  instrumental  introduction,  the 
voices  enter  upon  the  "  Requiem  "  —  a  beautiful  and  sol- 
emn strain.  The  movement  is  built  upon  three  melodies 
set  to  the  words  "Requiem  seternam,"  "  Tu  decet  Hym- 
nus,"  and  the  "  Kyrie,"  the  accompaniment  of  which  is 
very  descriptive  and  characteristic.  The  "  Kyrie "  is 
specially  impressive,  the  chant  of  the  sopranos  being  an- 
swered by  the  tenors  and  basses  in  unison,  the  whole  closing 
with  a  dirge-like  movement  by  the  orchestra. 

The  "  Dies  Irae "  is  the  most  spirited  as  well  as  im- 
pressive number  of  the  work.  It  is  intensely  dramatic 
in  its  effects ;  indeed  it  might  be  called  theatrical.  Berlioz 


BERLIOZ  85 

seems  to  have  almost  exhausted  the  resources  of  instru- 
ments to  produce  the  feeling  of  awful  sublimity  and  over- 
whelming power,  even  to  the  verge  of  the  most  daring 
eccentricity.  The  first  part  of  the  "  Dies  Irae  "  will  always 
be  remarkable  for  the  orchestral  arrangement.  After  the 
climax  of  the  motive,  "  Quantus  tremor  est  futurus,"  there 
is  a  pause  which  is  significant  by  its  very  silence ;  it  is  the 
hush  before  the  storm.  Suddenly  from  either  angle  of  the 
stage  or  hall,  in  addition  to  the  principal  orchestra  in  front, 
four  smaller  bands  of  trombones,  trumpets,  and  tubas 
crash  in  with  overwhelming  power  in  the  announcement 
of  the  terrors  of  the  day  of  judgment.  At  its  culmination 
the  bass  voices  enter  in  unison  upon  the  words  "  Tuba 
mirum,"  in  the  midst  of  another  orchestral  storm,  which 
is  still  further  heightened  by  an  unusual  number  of  kettle- 
drums. From  the  beginning  to  the  close,  vthis  part  of  the 
"  Dies  Irae  "  is  simply  cyclopean.  It  is  a  relief  when  the 
storm  has  passed  over,  and  we  come  to  the  next  verse 
("Quid  sum  miser"),  for  the  basses  and  tenors,  though 
mostly  for  the  first  tenors.  It  is  a  breathing  spell  of  quiet 
delight.  It  is  given  in  the  softest  tone,  and  is  marked  in 
the  score  to  be  sung  with  "  an  expression  of  humility  and 
awe."  It  leads  to  the  andante  number  ("  Rex  tremendae 
majestatis"),  which  is  sung  fortissimo  throughout,  and 
accompanied  with  another  tremendous  outburst  of  harmo- 
nious thunder  in  crashing  chords,  which  continues  up  to 
the  last  eight  bars,  when  the  voices  drop  suddenly  from  the 
furious  fortissimo  to  an  almost  inaudible  pianissimo  on  the 
words  "Salve  me."  The  next  verse  ("Quaerens  me  ")  is 
an  unaccompanied  six-part  chorus  in  imitative  style,  of 
very  close  harmony.  The  "  Dies  Irae "  ends  with  the 
"  Lachrymosa,"  the  longest  and  most  interesting  number 
in  the  work.  It  is  thoroughly  melodic,  and  is  peculiarly 
strengthened  by  a  pathetic  and  sentimental  accompani- 
ment, which,  taken  in  connection  with  the  choral  part 


86     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

against  which  it  is  set,  presents  an  almost  inexhaustible 
variety  of  rhythms  and  an  originality  of  technical  effects 
which  are  astonishing.  Its  general  character  is  broad  and 
solemn,  and  it  closes  with  a  return  to  the  "  Dies  Irse," 
with  full  chorus  and  all  the  orchestras.  This  finishes  the 
"  Dies  Irae  "  section  of  the  work. 

The  next  number  is  the  "  Offertorium,"  in  which  the 
voices  are  limited  to  a  simple  phrase  of  two  notes,  A  alter- 
nating with  B  flat,  which  is  not  changed  throughout  the 
somewhat  long  movement.  It  never  becomes  monoto- 
nous, however,  so  rich  and  varied  is  the  instrumentation. 
The  "  Hostias  et  Preces,"  assigned  to  the  tenors  and 
basses,  displays  another  of  Berlioz's  eccentricities,  the  ac- 
companiment at  the  close  of  the  first  phrase  being  fur- 
nished by  three  flutes  and  eight  tenor  trombones.  The 
"  Sanctus,"  a  tenor  solo  with  responses  by  the  sopranos 
and  altos,  is  full  of  poetical,  almost  sensuous  beauty,  and 
is  the  most  popular  number  in  the  work.  It  closes  with  a 
fugue  on  the  words  "  Hosanna  in  Excelsis."  The  final 
number  is  the  "  Agnus  Dei,"  a  chorus  for  male  voices,  in 
which  the  composer  once  more  employs  the  peculiar  com- 
bination of  flutes  and  tenor  trombones.  In  this  number 
he  also  returns  to  the  music  of  the  opening  number, 
"Requiem  seternam,"  and  closes  it  with  an  "Amen," 
softly  dying  away. 

ROMEO  AND  JULIET 

"  Dramatic  symphony,  with  choruses,  solos,  chant,  and 
prologue  in  choral  recitative,"  the  title  which  Berlioz  gives 
to  his  "  Romeo  and  Juliet,"  was  written  in  1839.  The 
work  opens  with  a  fiery  introduction  representing  the  com- 
bats and  tumults  of  the  two  rival  houses  of  Capulet  and 
Montague,  and  the  intervention  of  the  Prince.  It  is  fol- 
lowed by  a  choral  recitative  for  four  altos,  tenors,  and 


HECTOR  BERLIOZ 


BERLIOZ  87 

basses  ("Long  smouldering  hatreds  "),  with  which  is  in- 
terwoven a  contralto  solo  ("Romeo  too  is  there"),  the 
number  closing  with  a  passionate  chorus  ("The  revels 
now  are  o'er").  A  beautiful  effect  is  made  at  this  point 
by  assigning  to  the  alto  voice  two  couplets  ("Joys  of  first 
love  ")  which  are  serious  in  style  but  very  rich  in  melody. 
A  brief  bit  of  choral  recitative  and  a  few  measures  for 
tenor  —  Mercutio's  raillery  —  lead  up  to  a  dainty  scher- 
zetto  for  tenor  solo  and  small  chorus  ("  Mab  !  bright  elf 
of  dreamland  "),  and  a  short  choral  passage  brings  this 
scene  to  a  close. 

The  second  scene,  which  is  for  orchestra  only,  an  im- 
pressive declamatory  phrase  developing  into  a  tender 
melody,  representing  the  sadness  of  Romeo,  set  in  tones 
against  the  brilliant  dance  music  in  the  distance  accom- 
panying the  revel  of  the  Capulets,  is  one  of  the  most  strik- 
ing effects  Berlioz  has  accomplished,  and  illustrates  his 
astonishing  command  of  instrumentation. 

The  third  scene  represents  Capulet's  garden  in  the  still- 
ness of  night,  the  young  Capulets  passing  through  it,  bid- 
ding each  other  adieu  and  repeating  snatches  of  the  dance 
music.  As  their  strains  die  away  in  the  distance  the  bal- 
cony scene  between  Romeo  and  Juliet  is  given  by  the 
orchestra  alone  in  a  genuine  love-poem  full  of  passion 
and  sensuousness. 

The  fourth  scene  is  also  given  to  the  orchestra,  and  is  a 
setting  of  Mercutio's  description  of  Queen  Mab.  It  is  a 
scherzo,  intensely  rapid  in  its  movement  and  almost  ethe- 
real in  its  dainty,  graceful  rhythm.  The  instrumentation 
is  full  of  subtle  effects,  particularly  in  the  romantic  pas- 
sages for  the  horns. 

In  the  fifth  scene  we  pass  from  the  tripping  music  of 
the  fairies  to  the  notes  of  woe.  It  describes  the  funeral 
procession  of  Juliet,  beginning  with  a  solemn  march  in 
fugue  style,  at  first  instrumental,  with  occasional  entrances 


88     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

of  the  voices  in  monotone,  and  then  vocal  ("  O  mourn,  O 
mourn,  strew  choicest  flowers"),  the  monotone  being  as- 
signed to  the  instruments.  It  preludes  a  powerful  or- 
chestral scene  representing  Romeo's  invocation,  Juliet's 
awakening,  and  the  despair  and  death  of  the  lovers. 

The  Finale  is  mainly  for  double  chorus,  representing  the 
quarrel  between  the  Montagues  and  Capulets  in  the  ceme- 
tery and  the  final  reconciliation  through  the  intercession 
of  Friar  Laurence,  whose  declamatory  solos  are  very  strik- 
ing, particularly  the  air,  "  Poor  children  mine,  let  me 
mourn  you." 

THE  DAMNATION  OF  FAUST 

The  "  Damnation  of  Faust,  dramatic  legend,"  as  Berlioz 
calls  it,  was  written  in  1846.  It  is  divided  into  four  parts, 
the  first  containing  three,  the  second  four,  the  third  six,  and 
the  fourth  five  scenes,  the  last  concluding  with  an  epilogue 
and  the  apotheosis  of  Marguerite.  It  was  first  produced 
in  Paris  in  November,  1846,  and  had  its  first  hearing  in 
the  United  States  February  12,  1880,  when  Dr.  Leopold 
Damrosch  brought  it  out  with  the  assistance  of  the  New 
York  Symphony,  Oratorio,  and  Arion  Societies. 

The  opening  scene  introduces  Faust  alone  on  the  Hun- 
garian plains  at  sunrise.  He  gives  expression  to  his  de- 
light in  a  tender,  placid  strain  ("  The  winter  has  departed, 
spring  is  here").  It  is  followed  by  an  instrumental  pre- 
lude of  a  pastoral  character,  in  which  are  heard  fragments 
of  the  roundelay  of  the  peasants  and  of  the  fanfare  in  the 
Hungarian  march,  leading  up  to  the  "  Dance  of  Peasants," 
a  brisk,  vivacious  chorus  ("  The  shepherd  donned  his  best 
array  "),  beginning  with  the  altos,  who  are  finally  joined 
by  the  sopranos,  tenors,  and  basses  in  constantly  acceler- 
ating time.  The  scene  then  changes  to  another  part  of 
the  plain  and  discloses  the  advance  of  an  army,  to  the 
brilliant  and  stirring  music  of  the  Rakbczy  march. 


BERLIOZ  89 

The  second  part  (Scene  IV)  opens  in  north  Germany 
and  discloses  Faust  alone  in  his  chamber.  He  sings  a 
soliloquy,  setting  forth  his  discontent  with  worldly  happi- 
ness, and  is  about  to  drown  his  sorrow  with  poison,  when 
he  is  interrupted  by  the  Easter  Hymn  ("  Christ  is  risen  from 
the  dead"),  a  stately  and  jubilant  six-part  chorus,  in  the 
close  of  which  he  joins.  As  it  comes  to  an  end  he  con- 
tinues his  song  ("  Heavenly  tones,  why  seek  me  in  the 
dust?  "),  but  is  again  interrupted  by  the  sudden  apparition 
of  Mephistopheles,  who  mockingly  sings  ("  Oh,  pious 
frame  of  mind  "),  and  entraps  him  in  the  compact.  They 
disappear,  and  we  next  find  them  in  Auerbach's  cellar  in 
Leipsic,  where  the  carousing  students  are  singing  a  rollick- 
ing drinking-song  ("  Oh,  what  delight  when  storm  is  crash- 
ing ").  The  drunken  Brander  is  called  upon  for  a  song, 
and  responds  with  a  characteristic  one  ("  There  was  a  rat 
in  the  cellar  nest "),  to  which  the  irreverent  students  im- 
provise a  fugue  on  the  word  "  Amen,"  using  a  motive  of 
the  song.  Mephistopheles  compliments  them  on  the 
fugue,  and  being  challenged  to  give  them  an  air,  trolls  out 
the  lusty  tied,  "  There  was  a  king  once  reigning,  who  had 
a  big  black  flea,"  in  the  accompaniment  of  which  Berlioz 
makes  some  very  realistic  effects.  Amid  the  bravas  of  the 
drunken  students  Faust  disappears,  and  is  next  found  in 
the  flowery  meadows  of  the  Elbe,  where  Mephistopheles 
sings  a  most  enchanting  melody  ("  In  this  fair  bower  "). 
Faust  is  lulled  to  slumber,  and  in  his  vision  hears  the 
chorus  of  the  gnomes  and  sylphs  ("  Sleep,  happy  Faust "), 
a  number  of  extraordinary  beauty  and  fascinating  charm. 
Its  effect  is  still  further  heightened  by  the  sylphs'  ballet  in 
waltz  time.  As  they  gradually  disappear,  Faust  wakes 
and  relates  to  Mephistopheles  his  vision  of  the  "  angel  in 
human  form."  The  latter  promises  to  conduct  him  to  her 
chamber,  and  they  join  a  party  of  soldiers  and  students 
who  will  pass  "  before  thy  Beauty's  dwelling."  The  Finale 


9o     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

of  the  scene  is  composed  of  a  stirring  soldiers'  chorus 
("  Stoutly-walled  cities  we  fain  would  win  ")  and  a  charac- 
teristic students'  song  in  Latin  ("Jam  nox  stellata"),  at 
first  sung  separately  and  then  combined  with  great  skill. 

The  third  part  begins  with  a  brief  instrumental  prelude, 
in  which  the  drums  and  trumpets  sound  the  tattoo,  intro- 
ducing a  scene  in  Marguerite's  chamber  where  Faust  sings 
a  passionate  love-song  ("Thou  sweet  twilight,  be  wel- 
come ").  At  its  close  Mephistopheles  warns  him  of  the 
approach  of  Marguerite  and  conceals  him  behind  a  cur- 
tain. She  enters,  and  in  brief  recitative  tells  her  dream, 
in  which  she  has  seen  the  image  of  Faust,  and  discloses 
her  love  for  him.  Then  while  disrobing  she  sings  the  bal- 
lad "There  was  a  king  in  Thule."  As  its  pathetic  strains 
come  to  a  close,  the  music  suddenly  changes  and  Mephis- 
topheles in  a  characteristic  strain  summons  the  will-o'-the- 
wisps  to  bewilder  the  maiden.  It  is  followed  by  their 
lovely  and  graceful  minuet,  in  which  Berlioz  again  displays 
his  wonderful  command  of  orchestral  realism.  This  is  fol- 
lowed by  Mephistopheles1  serenade  ("  Why  dost  thou  wait 
at  the  door  of  thy  lover?  "),  with  a  choral  accompaniment 
by  the  will-o'-the-wisps,  interspersed  with  demoniac  laugh- 
ter. The  last  number  is  a  trio  ("Angel  adored")  for 
Marguerite,  Faust,  and  Mephistopheles,  wonderfully  ex- 
pressive in  its  utterances  of  passion,  and  closing  with  a 
chorus  of  mockery  which  indicates  the  coming  tragedy. 

The  fourth  part  opens  with  a  very  touching  romance 
("My  heart  with  grief  is  heavy"),  the  familiar  "  Meine 
Ruh'  ist  hin  "  of  Goethe,  sung  by  Marguerite,  and  the 
scene  closes  with  the  songs  of  the  soldiers  and  students 
heard  in  the  distance.  In  the  next  scene  Faust  sings  a 
sombre  and  powerful  invocation  to  Nature  ("  O  boundless 
Nature,  spirit  sublime  !  ").  Mephistopheles  is  seen  scaling 
the  rocks,  and  in  agitated  recitative  tells  his  companion  the 
story  of  Marguerite's  crime  and  imprisonment.  He  bids 


BERLIOZ  91 

him  sign  a  scroll  which  will  save  him  from  the  consequences 
of  the  deed,  and  Faust  thus  delivers  himself  over  to  the 
Evil  One.  Then  begins  the  wild  "  Ride  to  Hell,"  past  the 
peasants  praying  at  the  cross,  who  flee  in  terror  as  they 
behold  the  riders,  followed  by  horrible  beasts,  monstrous 
birds,  and  grinning,  dancing  skeletons,  until  at  last  they 
disappear  in  an  abyss  and  are  greeted  by  the  chorus  of  the 
spirits  of  hell  in  a  tempest  of  sound,  which  is  literally  a 
musical  pandemonium  ("  Has  !  Irimiru  Karabras,"  etc.) 
in  its  discordant  vocal  strains,  mighty  dissonances,  and  su- 
pernatural effects  in  the  accompaniment.  A  brief  epilogue 
("  On  Earth  ")  follows,  in  which  Faust's  doom  is  told,  suc- 
ceeded by  a  correspondingly  brief  one  ("  In  Heaven")  in 
which  the  seraphim  plead  for  Marguerite.  The  legend 
closes  with  "  Marguerite's  glorification,"  a  jubilant  double 
chorus,  announcing  her  pardon  and  acceptance  among  the 
blest. 

SYMPHONIE  FANTASTIQUE.     OP.  14 

1.  ADAGIO.    ALLEGRO  AGITATO.    (Reveries  and  Passions.) 

2.  LE  BAL.     (The  Ball.) 

3.  SCENE  AUX  CHAMPS.    (Scene  in  the  Fields.) 

4.  MARCHE  DU  SUPPLICE.     (Journey  to  Execution.) 

5.  SONGE  D'UN  NUIT  DE  SABBAT.    (Dream  in  a  Witches'  Sab- 

bath Night.) 

The  "  Symphonic  Fantastique,"  also  entitled  by  its  com- 
poser "  Episode  in  the  Life  of  an  Artist,"  was  written  by 
Berlioz  in  1829,  while  he  was  still  a  pupil  at  the  Paris 
Conservatory,  and  will  always  be  noteworthy  as  his  first 
attempt  at  programme- music.  Every  movement  of  this 
strange  work  is  prefaced  by  a  regular  programme  and 
accompanied  by  notes  which  call  the  hearer's  attention 
beforehand  to  the  scenes  which  the  music  is  intended  to 
describe.  Nothing  is  left  to  conjecture.  To  describe  the 
symphony  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  do  more  than  to  tell 


92     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

the  bizarre  story  of  this  episode  in  the  life  of  an  artist, 
which  is  a  very  nightmare  of  passion. 

In  the  opening  movement  he  introduces  a  young  musi- 
cian madly  in  love  with  a  woman  of  ideal  perfection,  rep- 
resented by  a  musical  figure  which  he  calls  the  "  id£e  fixe." 
Like  a  Wagner  motive  this  melody  binds  the  various  sec- 
tions of  the  symphony  together,  and  appears  sometimes 
clear  and  sometimes  distorted  in  every  changing  phase  of 
the  artist's  gloomy  experiences.  The  whole  movement  is 
based  upon  this  "fixed  idea,"  representing  the  vague 
longings  of  love,  its  melancholy,  ecstatic,  jealous,  and  fren- 
zied moods.  The  theme  haunts  the  music  as  the  vision  of 
the  ideal  woman  haunts  the  artist. 

The  second  movement  introduces  us  to  a  ball,  but  even 
in  the  midst  of  the  festivity,  and  listening  to  the  sensual 
strains  of  the  waltz,  the  face  of  the  loved  one  haunts  the 
artist.  From  a  technical  point  of  view  this  movement 
shows  the  great  skill  of  the  composer  in  the  symphonic 
treatment  of  a  waltz  rhythm,  but  the  brilliant  dance  music  is 
ever  and  anon  interrupted  as  the  melody  which  belongs  to 
the  loved  one  asserts  itself  through  the  bewitching  strains. 

The  third  movement,  "Scene  aux  Champs,"  is  one  of 
quiet  pastoral  beauty,  though  it  gathers  gloom  as  it  pro- 
ceeds and  closes  in  ominous  darkness  and  silence.  The 
lover  is  in  the  fields  at  evening  and  hears  the  shepherds' 
answering  songs,  sung  by  the  oboe  and  horn.  The  charm 
of  the  spot,  its  peaceful  repose,  the  gentle  approach  of 
evening,  and  the  rustic  chants  call  up  the  vision  of  the 
loved  one  and  inspire  him  with  hope,  which  soon  clouds 
over  again  as  darkness  comes  on.  One  of  the  shepherds 
repeats  his  song,  but  the  other  does  not  answer.  The  low 
rumble  of  a  storm  is  heard  in  the  distance,  and  the  despair- 
ing lover  gives  way  to  melancholy. 

In  the  fourth  movement,  "  Marche  du  Supplice,"  per- 
suaded that  his  affection  is  not  reciprocated,  the  frenzied 


BERLIOZ  93 

lover  takes  poison  with  the  intention  of  suicide,  but  the 
drug  instead  of  killing  him  only  produces  a  stupor  filled 
with  wild  hallucinations.  He  imagines  that  he  has  killed 
his  mistress  and  is  the  witness  of  his  own  execution.  The 
march  to  the  scaffold  begins  amid  the  chanting  of  the 
"  Dies  Irae,"  the  tolling  of  bells,  and  the  mournful  roll  of 
muffled  drums.  Even  the  rush  of  the  multitude  and  the 
tramp  of  their  feet  are  heard  in  this  realistic  music.  The 
fatal  melody,  however,  does  not  leave  him  even  here.  It 
is  constantly  heard  in  the  gloom  until  it  is  cleft  in  twain 
by  the  sharp  stroke  of  the  headsman's  axe. 

The  last  movement,  which  is  really  a  continuation  of 
the  fourth,  pictures  the  lover  in  the  midst  of  the  witches 
and  demons  who  have  gathered  to  witness  his  burial,  which 
takes  place  accompanied  by  a  wild  orgy  reminding  one  of 
the  chorus  of  demons  in  "  The  Damnation  of  Faust." 

HAROLD  IN  ITALY.     OP.  16 

1.  HAROLD  AUX  MONTAGNES.     SCENES  DE  MELANCOLIE,  DK 

BONHEUR,  ET  DE  JOIE.     (Harold  in  the  Mountains.     Scenes 
of  Melancholy,  Happiness,  and  Joy.) 

2.  MARCHE  DE    PELERINS,  CHANTANT   LA    PRIERE  DU  SOIR. 

(March  of  Pilgrims,  singing  the  Evening  Prayer.) 

3.  SERENADE  D'UN  MONTAGNARD  DES  ABBRUZES  1  SA  MA!- 

TRKSSE.     (Serenade  of  a  Mountaineer  of  the  Abruzzi  to  his 
Mistress.) 

4.  ORGIE    DBS    BRIGANDS.     SOUVENIRS    DES    SCENES    PRECE- 

DENTES.  (Orgy  of  Brigands.   Souvenirs  of  preceding  Scenes.) 

"Harold  in  Italy"  was  written  in  1834,  and  first  pro- 
duced at  the  Paris  Conservatory,  November  23  of  the 
same  year.  The  story  of  the  symphony  is  the  story  of 
what  Harold  witnesses  in  his  wanderings.  The  restless, 
melancholy  exile  beholds  Nature  in  her  loveliest  as  well  as 
her  most  majestic  aspects,  but  they  fail  to  cheer  him. 
He  is  in  the  midst  of  a  band  of  happy  and  devoted  pil- 
grims journeying  along  to  worship  at  some  shrine,  but 


94     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

religion  no  more  than  Nature  can  calm  his  troubled  spirit. 
He  witnesses  a  mountaineer  serenading  his  mistress  be- 
neath her  window,  but  the  simple  love-scene  has  no  charm 
for  him.  In  despair  he  joins  the  bandits,  and  rushes  into 
one  of  their  orgies,  where  at  last  all  his  better  thoughts 
and  nobler  feelings  are  lost  in  a  vortex  of  dissipation  and 
frenzy. 

The  first  movement  ("  In  the  mountains ")  is  divided 
into  two  sections,  an  Adagio  expressive  of  Harold's  mel- 
ancholy, and  a  strongly  contrasting  Allegro  signifying  his 
transient  feeling  of  happiness  and  joy.  The  Adagio  opens 
with  a  characteristic  phrase  for  the  basses  and  'cellos,  to 
which  the  bassoon  adds  a  theme  in  chromatic  progression. 
This  is  relieved  by  a  second  theme,  at  first  taken  by  the 
wood  winds  and  then  developed  by  the  viola,  typifying 
the  reflective  character  of  Harold,  as  it  does  throughout 
the  rest  of  the  work.  The  harps  and  clarinets  accom- 
pany the  monologue  as,  it  moves  on  toward  the  second 
section  of  the  movement.  Four  times  the  viola  seeks  to 
make  the  change,  and  at  last  seizes  the  joyous  melody  of 
the  Allegro,  and  the  music  flows  on  to  the  close  brightly 
and  gracefully,  richly  colored,  and  always  original  and 
characteristic. 

The  second  movement  ("March  of  the  pilgrims")  is 
one  of  the  most  charming  numbers  Berlioz  has  written. 
The  march  themes  are  very  simple,  but  the  composer  has 
invested  them  with  a  peculiar  charm  by  their  sweetness 
and  grace  as  well  as  by  the  richness  of  the  instrumenta- 
tion. The  music  is  also  very  descriptive,  and  a  pleasing 
effect  is  made  by  crescendo  and  diminuendo  as  the  pil- 
grims approach,  file  past,  and  slowly  disappear  in  the  dis- 
tance. The  pretty  scene  closes  with  an  evening  prayer, 
in  which  Berlioz  shows  his  skill  in  treating  simple  religious 
song. 

The  third  movement  ("The  serenade")  is  a  fit  sequel 


BERLIOZ  95 

to  the  second  in  its  general  character.  It  opens  in  genu- 
ine pastoral  style,  the  horn  and  oboe  giving  a  Tyrolean 
effect  to  the  music  and  leading  up  to  a  quaint  and  very 
refined  serenade  in  slower  time.  But  even  in  the  sere- 
nade of  the  mountaineer,  as  in  the  march  of  the  pilgrims, 
the  unrestful  and  sad  plaint  of  the  viola  is  heard. 

In  the  last  movement  ("The  orgy")  Berlioz  gives  free 
rein  to  his  audacity  and  love  of  the  horrible,  and  ends  the 
career  of  Harold,  like  that  of  the  artist  in  the  "Sym- 
phonic Fantastique,"  in  a  wild  and  crashing  hurly-burly 
of  sound  intended  to  picture  a  foul  and  frenzied  orgy. 
The  movement  opens  with  reminiscences  of  preceding 
themes,  woven  together  with  great  skill.  Among  them 
is  the  Harold  theme,  announcing  his  presence,  and  the 
march  of  the  pilgrims  taken  by  two  violins  and  'cellos  in 
the  wings,  indicating  their  passage  in  the  distance.  As  if 
Harold  had  turned  for  a  moment  and  longingly  listened 
to  the  beautiful  melody,  wishing  that  he  were  with  them, 
the  viola  replies  to  it.  It  is  only  a  snatch,  however,  for  at 
once  the  furious  orgy  begins  which  drowns  every  reminis- 
cence, and  goes  on  with  constantly  increasing  din  and 
volume  to  the  end,  as  if  all  the  demons  of  the  under- 
world had  been  let  loose. 


BRAHMS 

1833-1897 

THE  GERMAN  REQUIEM 

THE  "  German  Requiem,"  so  called,  is  not  a  requiem 
in  its  sentiment,  nor  in  any  sense,  a  religious  service. 
It  might  with  more  propriety  be  called  a  "  sacred  cantata." 
The  poem  is  full  of  consolation  for  the  mourner,  of  assur- 
ances of  joy  hereafter,  of  warnings  against  the  pomps  and 
vanities  of  the  world,  and  closes  with  the  victory  of  the 
saints  over  death  and  the  grave.  The  work  has  seven 
numbers,  —  two  barytone  solos  and  chorus,  soprano  solo 
and  chorus,  and  four  separate  choruses.  It  was  first  per- 
formed at  Bremen  on  Good  Friday,  1868,  and  was  first 
heard  in  England  in  1873.  It  was  also  given  at  the 
Cincinnati  Festival  of  1884,  under  Theodore  Thomas's 
direction. 

The  opening  chorus  ("  Blessed  are  they  that  go  mourn- 
ing") is  particularly  noticeable  for  the  richness  of  its 
accompaniment.  In  the  Funeral  March,  which  follows,  a 
very  graphic  resemblance  to  the  measured  tread  of  the 
cortege  is  accomplished  by  the  use  of  triple  time.  In  this, 
as  well  as  in  numerous  other  instances,  the  composer  cuts 
loose  from  ordinary  methods,  and  in  pure  classical  form 
and  by  the  use  of  legitimate  musical  processes,  achieves 
what  others  seek  to  effect  by  sensuous  or  purely  imitative 
music.  The  third  number  ("  Lord,  make  me  to  know  the 
measure  of  my  days  on  earth")  opens  with  a  barytone 
solo,  followed  by  two  choral  fugues,  which  are  solidly 
constructed.  They  are  extremely  difficult  to  sing,  and 
call  for  a  chorus  of  unusual  discipline  and  intelligence. 


BRAHMS  97 

The  fourth,  for  chorus  ("  How  lovely  is  Thy  dwelling- 
place,  O  Lord  of  Hosts"),  is  in  striking  contrast  with  its 
predecessor,  being  a  slow  movement,  and  very  melodious 
in  style.  The  fifth  ("  Ye  now  are  sorrowful,  grieve  not  "), 
for  soprano  solo  and  chorus,  shows  the  composer's  unusual 
power  as  a  song-writer,  as  well  as  his  melodious  attractive- 
ness when  melody  answers  his  purpose.  In  the  next  num- 
ber, set  for  chorus  with  barytone  solo  responses  ("  Here 
on  earth  we  have  no  continuing  place,  we  seek  now  a 
heavenly  one  "),  the  character  of  the  music  changes  again, 
and  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  is  pictured  in  fugal  pas- 
sages of  tremendous  power  and  difficulty.  After  the  storm 
comes  the  calm  again  in  the  Finale  ("  Blessed  are  the 
faithful  who  in  the  Lord  are  sleeping"),  which  contains  a 
reminiscence  of  the  opening  number,  and  closes  the  work 
in  a  gentle,  but  deeply  serious  strain.  It  was  the  "  Ger- 
man Requiem  "  which  first  made  Brahms  famous  ;  it  con- 
firmed all  that  Schumann  had  said  of  him.  Its  great 
difficulties  require  an  extraordinary  chorus  and  orchestra ; 
but  when  these  can  be  had,  the  power  and  beauty  of  the 
work  will  always  be  conceded. 

TRIUMPHLIED 

" Triumphlied  "  ("Song  of  Triumph  ")  was  written  by 
Brahms  in  commemoration  of  the  victories  of  German 
arms  and  the  reestablishment  of  the  Empire,  and  is  dedi- 
cated to  "  the  German  Emperor  Wilhelm  I."  It  was  first 
performed  at  the  Fifty-first  Festival  of  the  Lower  Rhine  at 
Cologne  in  1873.  The  text  is  a  paraphrase  of  certain 
verses  in  the  nineteenth  chapter  of  Revelation. 

The  scriptural  selections  are  divided  into  three  move- 
ments, written  for  double  chorus  (with  the  exception  of 
two  short  barytone  solos),  orchestra,  and  organ,  and  are 
introduced  by  a  brief  instrumental  prelude  of  a  solemn 
but  animated  and  exultant  character,  in  the  closing 

7 


98     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

measures  of  which  both  choirs  unite  in  jubilant  shouts 
of  "  Hallelujah  !  praise  the  Lord  !  "  The  theme  of  the 
movement  is  the  stirring  old  German  national  hymn  "  Heil 
dir  im  Siegerkranz,"  which  is  worked  up  with  consummate 
skill.  The  first  part  closes  with  a  climax  of  power  and 
contrapuntal  effect  hardly  to  be  found  elsewhere  outside 
the  choruses  of  Handel. 

The  second  movement  ("  Glory  be  to  God  !  ")  is  of  the 
same  general  character  as  the  first.  After  the  opening 
ascription,  a  short  fugue  intervenes,  leading  to  a  fresh 
melody  alternately  sung  by  both  choruses. 

The  third  movement,  after  a  very  brief  but  spirited  or- 
chestral flourish,  opens  with  an  exultant  barytone  solo 
("  And  behold  then  the  heavens  opened  wide  ").  The 
choruses  respond  with  animation  ("  And  yonder  a  snow- 
white  horse  ").  Again  the  barytone  intervenes  ("And  lo  ! 
a  great  name  hath  He  written  "),  and  then  the  choruses 
take  up  the  majestic  theme  "  King  of  Kings  and  Lord  of 
Lords,"  each  answering  the  other  with  triumphant  shouts 
that  gather  force  and  fire  as  they  proceed,  and  closing 
with  a  mighty  "  Hallelujah  "  in  which  voices,  orchestra, 
and  organ  join  with  fullest  power  to  produce  one  of  the 
grandest  harmonies  ever  written.  The  work  is  one  of  ex- 
treme difficulty,  as  the  two  choirs  are  treated  independ- 
ently, and  their  harmonies  are  complicated,  though  blended 
in  general  effect. 

SYMPHONY  No.  i,  IN  C  MINOR.     OP.  68 

1.  UN  POCO  SOSTENUTO.    ALLEGRO. 

2.  ANDANTE  SOSTENUTO. 

3.  UN  POCO  ALLEGRETTO  E  GRAZIOSO. 

4.  ADAGIO,  PIU  ANDANTE.    ALLEGRO  MODERATO  MA  CON  BRIO. 

Brahms  waited  until  he  was  forty-nine  years  of  age 
before  he  produced  his  first  symphony.  Rumors  of  its 
coming  preceded  it  many  years,  but  when  the  composer 


JOHANNES  BRAHMS 


BRAHMS 


99 


was  questioned  about  them  he  only  remarked  that  there  had 
been  one  C  minor  (Beethoven's  Fifth),  and  there  was  no 
need  of  another.  In  the  Autumn  of  1876,  however,  it  made 
its  appearance,  and  was  performed  successively  at  Stutt- 
gart, Carlsruhe,  Mannheim,  and  in  the  Gewandhaus  at 
Leipsic,  as  well  as  at  Cambridge,  England,  everywhere 
creating  an  enthusiasm  which  found  its  most  flattering 
expression  in  Von  Billow's  remark :  "  We  have  at  last  a 
Tenth  symphony." 

The  symphony  opens  with  a  short  introduction,  Un 
poco  sostenuto,  espressivo  e  legato,  of  an  agitated  and 
somewhat  melancholy  but  harmonious  character  and  based 
upon  the  two  themes  of  the  Allegro,  from  which  it  is  sepa- 
rated by  four  measures  of  prelude.  It  is  in  reality  a  clear, 
general  statement  of  the  movement,  the  principal  theme 
of  which  is  given  out  by  the  violins,  accompanied  by  a 
chromatic  phrase  for  the  'cello  and  bassoon,  which  ap- 
pears again  with  a  phrase  derived  from  the  first  theme  for 
its  accompaniment,  thus  admirably  preserving  the  unity 
of  the  movement.  The  second  subject,  full  of  hopeful 
aspiration,  is  taken  by  the  oboes,  clarinets,  bassoons,  and 
horns,  treated  as  we  have  already  indicated,  and  supple- 
mented by  a  new  melody  for  the  oboes,  supported  by  a 
sustained  passage  for  bassoons,  violas,  and  'cellos,  one 
measure  of  which  is  used  in  imitation  between  the  clari- 
net, horn,  flute,  and  bassoon,  producing  a  quieter  and 
more  restful  feeling.  A  new  figure  for  the  strings,  how- 
ever, soon  recalls  the  old  unrest,  and  thus  the  first  section 
of  the  Allegro  closes.  After  the  repeat  and  in  the  work- 
ing out  of  the  movement  a  fine  effect  is  made  by  a  long 
decrescendo,  leading  up  to  a  passage  which  begins  almost 
in  a  whisper  and  is  developed  by  degrees  to  a  tremendous 
fortissimo.  The  movement  closes  with  a  Coda  in  the 
same  time  and  general  character  as  the  opening,  developed 
with  constantly  increasing  power. 


ioo     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

The  second  movement,  Andante  sostenuto,  opens  with 
an  exquisitely  melodious  theme  in  |  time  for  the  strings, 
followed  by  an  intensely  passionate  second  theme,  also 
for  strings,  accompanied  by  a  phrase  from  the  opening 
melody,  —  a  form  of  treatment  already  observed  in  the 
Allegro  movement.  After  this  the  first  theme  returns, 
this  time,  however,  for  the  oboe,  with  response  by  the 
clarinet  and  an  accompaniment  of  staccato  chords  for  the 
violins  and  violas.  In  the  close  of  the  movement  the  first 
melody  is  divided  as  a  solo  between  the  violin  and  flute, 
with  a  charming  accompaniment,  and  characterized  by 
genuine  romantic  sentiment. 

The  third  movement,  Un  poco  allegretto  e  grazioso,  is 
introduced  with  a  sweet  and  graceful  melody  for  the  clari- 
net, followed  by  an  equally  graceful  subject  for  clarinet 
and  flute.  The  third  melody  is  also  announced  by  the 
clarinet  and  finished  by  the  flute  and  oboe  with  string 
accompaniment.  The  Trio  is  in  f  time,  strongly  con- 
trasting with  the  opening  of  the  movement.  At  its  close 
the  first  section  is  not  repeated,  as  is  customary  in  a 
Scherzo,  whose  place  the  movement  occupies,  but  its 
themes  are  developed  with  charming  grace  and  skill  in  a 
Coda. 

The  Finale  is  the  most  powerful  and  dramatic  section  of 
the  work,  and  is  evidently  intended  as  a  summary  of  the 
whole  symphony.  It  is  composed  of  an  Introduction, 
Adagio,  piu  andante,  and  an  Allegro.  The  Introduction 
opens  with  three  descending  bass  notes  of  highly  tragic 
expression,  gradually  increasing  in  power,  which  are  sub- 
sequently utilized  for  accompaniment  in  the  Allegro ;  and 
the  violins  give  out  a  very  dramatic  phrase,  which  also 
forms  the  opening  theme  of  that  movement.  All  through 
this  majestic  Adagio,  which  seems  to  be  an  alternation 
between  hope  and  fate,  there  is  a  spirit  of  restlessness  and 
mystery ;  and  this  is  intensified  when  with  an  acceleration 


BRAHMS 


101 


of  the  time  and  change  of  key  to  C  major  the  horns  and 
trombones  are  introduced,  the  former  uttering  a  most 
passionate  theme  and  the  latter  filling  in  a  solid  back- 
ground of  mysterious  harmony.  The  opening  theme  of 
the  Allegro  recalls  the  choral  melody  of  Beethoven's 
Ninth  symphony,  as  will  be  seen  :  — 


^tf 


* 


a 


^— I — I 

J  J 


/= 


It  is  introduced  by  the  strings,  assisted  by  the  horn 
and  bassoons,  and  is  then  repeated  by  the  wind  instru- 
ments accompanied  pizzicato  by  the  strings.  Its  effect  is 
magical.  To  the  preceding  gloom,  mystery,  and  passion 
succeeds  a  spirit  of  joyousness  and  healthy  contentment. 
The  work  concludes  with  reminiscences  of  the  preceding 
themes. 


102     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 


SYMPHONY  No.  2,  IN  D  MAJOR.     OP.  73 

1.  ALLEGRO  MA  NON  TROPPO.         3.  ALLEGRETTO  GRAZIOSO. 

2.  ADAGIO  MA  NON  TROPPO.  4.  ALLEGRO  CON  SPIRITO. 

The  Second  symphony  of  Brahms  was  finished  in  1877. 
Only  a  year  had  intervened  since  his  ddbut  in  this  impor- 
tant field  of  music,  but  the  second  work  is  widely  different 
from  the  first  in  its  general  character.  It  is  distinguished 
by  cheerfulness,  repose,  and  almost  pastoral  simplicity,  and 
betokens  peaceful  existence.  Less  dignified  perhaps  in 
its  purpose,  certainly  less  pedagogic,  if  we  may  so  call  it, 
in  its  structure  and  working  out,  it  is  none  the  less  interest- 
ing for  the  beauty  of  its  themes,  the  strength  of  its  con- 
trasts, the  sustained  character  of  the  various  movements, 
and  the  unity  of  the  work,  secured  by  that  contrapuntal 
skill  which  Brahms  so  often  displays  in  his  compositions. 

The  first  movement,  Allegro  ma  non  troppo,  suggests 
pastoral  simplicity  and  repose.  The  opening  subject  is 
beautifully  set  for  the  wind  instruments,  and  is  thoroughly 
melodious,  the  horns  fairly  giving  out  festive  strains.  The 
second  theme,  in  F  sharp  minor,  sings  itself  most  sweetly 
and  gracefully  on  the  'cellos  and  viola.  In  the  working 
out,  however,  a  more  passionate  key  is  struck  and  the 
idyllic  character  of  the  movement  is  disturbed.  Then 
follows  a  succession  of  passages  which  are  almost  stormy 
in  their  effect,  so  strong  are  the  brasses  and  blaring  even 
to  dissonance;  but  the  angry  waters  are  calmed  again 
when  the  first  theme  returns,  this  time  on  the  oboes, 
and  the  movement  glides  peacefully  along  to  the  Coda, 
in  which  the  horn  is  used  with  fascinating  effect,  and  a 
peculiar  tone-color  is  given  by  the  quaint  pizzicato  string 
accompaniment  that  follows. 

The  second  movement  is  somewhat  sphinx-like  as  to  its 
real  purport.  The  themes  are  less  clearly  stated.  The 


BRAHMS  103 

form  is  more  unique,  but  the  workmanship  shows  the  same 
consummate  perfection  that  characterizes  all  this  com- 
poser's work.  Unquestionably  there  is  a  deep  meaning 
underlying  it,  both  in  the  form  itself  and  in  its  expression, 
which  we  may  leave  to  the  hearer  to  interpret. 

This  criticism  does  not  apply,  however,  to  the  third 
movement,  Allegretto  grazioso,  for  here  everything  is  clear 
and  full  of  cheerfulness,  even  to  the  verge  of  frolicsome 
gayety.  It  is  made  up  of  two  sections,  an  Allegretto  and 
a  Presto.  In  beauty  and  vivacity  it  resembles  the  opening 
movement  and  strongly  partakes  of  the  Haydn  spirit.  It 
begins  with  an  exquisite  pastoral  melody  for  the  reeds, 
which  is  most  deliciously  treated  and  full  of  charming 
variety.  It  then  rushes  on  to  the  Presto,  which  is  a  merry 
rustic  dance  in  itself,  abounding  with  sparkling  humor  and 
even  boisterous  gayety.  Then  comes  a  repetition  of  the 
Allegretto,  which  brings  the  happy  scene  to  its  close. 

The  Finale,  Allegro  con  spirito,  is  full  of  reminiscences 
of  preceding  themes  which  are  handled  with  great  skill. 
After  treating  them  in  variations  and  with  constantly  chang- 
ing shades  of  tone-color,  sustaining  them  with  all  the 
strength  of  a  master,  he  seems  to  give  a  free  rein  to 
his  powers,  and  the  movement  rushes  on  with  constantly 
increasing  vigor  and  spirit  to  a  brilliant  and  sonorous 
close. 

SYMPHONY  No.  3,  IN  F  MAJOR.     OP.  90 

1.  ALLEGRO  CON  BRIO.      3.  Poco  ALLEGRETTO. 

2.  ANDANTE  CON  MOTO.     4.  ALLEGRO. 

Brahms's  Third  symphony,  first  performed  at  one  of 
the  concerts  of  the  Vienna  Philharmonic  Society,  Decem- 
ber 2,  1883,  is  undoubtedly  the  most  popular  of  the 
series  for  the  reason  that  it  is  clearer  in  its  general  con- 
struction than  the  others.  At  the  same  time,  while  less 


io4     STANDARD    CONCERT  GUIDE 

complicated  and  elaborate  in  its  development,  it  is  not 
lacking  in  ideas  of  a  thoroughly  poetical  kind  and  in  great 
variety  of  color.  Indeed,  in  this  work,  much  more  clearly 
than  in  the  other  two,  the  picture  in  the  composer's  mind 
may  be  traced. 

The  first  movement,  Allegro  con  brio,  opens  with  a  short 
prelude  of  powerful  chords  by  the  wind  instruments,  intro- 
ducing the  first  theme,  a  majestic  melody,  which  is  given 
out  by  the  violins,  accompanied  by  the  violas  and  "cellos, 
and  supported  by  the  trombones.  The  theme,  which  is 
peculiarly  brilliant  and  even  heroic  in  its  style,  is  treated 
with  masterly  skill  as  it  progresses  from  a  steady  and  peace- 
ful flow  to  the  highest  point  of  vigor  and  majesty.  In  the 
transition  to  the  second  theme,  however,  announced  by 
the  clarinets,  occurs  a  more  restful  period  ;  and  the  theme 
itself,  which  is  very  graceful  and  pastoral  in  style,  imparts 
a  serious,  earnest  character  to  the  movement,  which  is  still 
further  enforced  by  the  skilfully  constructed  Coda. 

The  second  movement,  Andante  con  moto,  might  almost 
be  termed  a  rhapsody,  as  it  is  very  short  and  is  not  elabo- 
rated after  the  customary  manner.  The  greater  part  of 
the  movement  indeed  rests  upon  and  grows  out  of  the 
opening  theme,  which  is  a  simple  but  very  graceful  and 
joyous  melody,  breathing  the  spirit  of  inward  happiness 
and  contentment,  and  in  strong  contrast  with  the  epic 
character  of  the  work.  This  theme  is  taken  alternately  by 
the  wind  instruments,  violas,  and  'cellos,  and  is  freely 
treated  in  variations,  which  give  beautiful  tone-color  to  it. 
It  has  a  brief  rest  while  the  clarinets  and  bassoons  give 
out  a  resonant,  stirring  phrase  as  if  foreshadowing  what  is 
to  come.  It  is  hardly  pronounced  enough,  however,  to  be 
called  a  second  theme.  The  first  subject  at  once  returns 
and  goes  on  to  the  end  in  a  series  of  delightfully  contrasted 
effects. 

The  third  movement,  Poco  allegretto,  which  takes  the 


BRAHMS  105 

place  of  the  ordinary  Scherzo,  is  mostly  serious  in  its  style, 
and  really  fixes  the  general  character  of  the  symphony. 
Its  principal  theme,  a  genuine  sample  of  the  Lied,  is  given 
out  by  the  'cellos,  at  first  fanciful,  tender,  and  full  of  sim- 
ple grace,  then  reminiscent  and  contemplative,  and  at  last 
dreamy ;  to  which  succeeds  a  passage  for  the  wind  instru- 
ments, soothing  and  almost  suppliant,  as  if  deprecating  the 
struggle  that  must  come.  There  is  nothing  of  the  Scherzo 
character  in  this  movement.  To  have  given  it  that  form 
would  have  seriously  conflicted  with  the  ideas  that  uphold 
the  structure  of  the  symphony,  and  would  have  introduced 
a  foreign  spirit  and  color. 

The  Allegretto  dies  away  in  soft  chords  which  lead  to 
the  Finale,  —  a  passionate,  agitated,  and  sombre  move- 
ment, yet  heroic,  elevated,  and  strong  in  its  style.  The 
theme  with  which  it  opens  rushes  past  with  all  the  haste 
and  mystery  of  a  vision  in  a  dream,  and  then  reappears  in 
a  new  harmonic  form,  only  to  grow  more  sorrowful  and 
gloomy  with  the  entrance  of  the  trombones  preluding  a 
new  phrase,  for  now  the  sentiment  changes  and  we  have 
in  its  place  a  passionate  conflict.  Through  the  fierce  and 
determined  phrases  of  the  violins,  however,  is  heard  the 
steady,  jubilant  song  of  the  'cellos.  As  they  announce  the 
victory  the  gloom  disappears,  and  gives  place  to  peace 
and  rest  once  more,  dignified  and  ennobled  by  the  heroic 
theme  of  the  first  movement. 

SYMPHONY  No.  4,  IN  E  MINOR.    OP.  98 

1.  ALLEGRO  NON  ASSAI. 

2.  ANDANTE  MODERATO. 

3.  PRESTO  GIOCOSO. 

4.  ALLEGRO  ENERGICO  E  PATETICO. 

The  Fourth  symphony  is.  universally  recognized  as  the 
most  individual  of  all  Brahms's  works  of  this  class.  It 
was  first  performed  at  Meiningen  under  the  direction  of 


106     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

Von  Biilow  and  Brahms  himself.  In  the  simplicity  and 
originality  of  its  themes,  and  in  the  subjective  character  of 
its  ideas,  as  well  as  in  its  development,  it  bears  the  unmis- 
takable impress  of  its  composer.  The  same  organic  unity 
which  characterizes  the  other  three  symphonies  in  such 
marked  degree  is  also  found  in  this,  though  the  various 
movements  illustrate  different  ideas. 

The  first  movement,  Allegro  non  assai,  opens  with  a 
melodious  theme  of  unusual  length  which  is  treated  in  a 
masterly  but  intricate  style.  It  is  a  wayward  fancy,  now 
cheerful,  and  again  serious,  but  coming  to  a  sombre  close 
as  the  second  theme  enters  in  the  same  general  manner. 
As  the  movement  draws  to  an  end  its  melodious  character 
grows  more  joyous,  strong,  and  dramatic,  and  the  develop- 
ment leaves  little  to  desire  in  the  way  of  pleasing  variety 
and  artistic  effect. 

The  second  movement,  Andante  moderato,  is  almost 
akin  to  the  Lied  in  the  gracefulness  and  sweetness  of  its 
melody,  its  warmth  of  tone,  and  its  refined  and  spirituelk 
character ;  and  the  third,  Allegro  giocoso,  in  rondo  form,  is 
full  of  animation  and  good  humor,  and  yet  is  dignified  in 
style  and  strong  in  expression,  as  befits  the  serious  purpose 
of  the  composer,  who  always  has  a  lofty  object  in  view. 

The  Finale,  Allegro  energico  e  patetico,  a  development 
of  the  Passacaglia  form,  is  a  model  of  earnest,  serious, 
artistic  workmanship,  every  measure  of  it  revealing  the  con- 
scientious and  scientific  scholar.  It  opens  with  a  succes- 
sion of  massive  chords  introducing  a  stately  first  theme 
which  frequently  reappears.  A  melodious  flute  solo  inter- 
venes, and  then  the  development  begins,  in  which  the 
subjects  are  given  out  in  a  broad  and  restful  manner  and 
treated  with  a  richness  of  color  and  refinement  of  style,  as 
well  as  a  perfection  in  workmanship,  which  have  rarely 
been  excelled. 


BRUCH 

1838- 

FRITHJOF 

THE  story  of  the  old  Norse  Viking,  Frithjof,  is  told 
with  exceeding  spirit  and  beauty  in  the  "  Frithjofs 
Saga  "  of  Esaias  Tegne"r,  Bishop  of  Wexib,  Sweden.  It  was 
from  this  Saga  that  Bruch  derived  the  incidents  of  his  mu- 
sical setting  of  this  stirring  Norse  theme.  To  make  the 
description  of  the  cantata  clearly  intelligible,  the  incidents 
leading  up  to  it  must  be  briefly  told.  Frithjof  was  the 
son  of  Thorstein,  a  friend  of  King  Bele,  and  was  in  love 
with  Ingeborg,  the  king's  daughter  and  his  foster  sister. 
Bele  died,  and  left  his  kingdom  to  his  two  sons.  When 
Thorstein  passed  away,  he  bequeathed  to  his  son  his  ship 
"  Ellida "  and  his  gold  ring.  Soon  thereafter  Frithjof 
sailed  across  the  fiord  to  demand  the  hand  of  Ingeborg. 
Her  brothers,  Helge  and  Halfdan,  scorned  his  suit,  where- 
upon Frithjof  swore  they  should  never  have  help  from  him. 
King  Ring,  a  neighboring  monarch,  hearing  of  the  trouble 
between  them,  improved  the  opportunity  to  menace  their 
kingdom.  The  brothers  appealed  to  Frithjof  for  aid,  but 
he  turned  a  deaf  ear;  and  when  they  took  the  field 
against  Bele,  he  made  love  to  Ingeborg,  with  whom  he 
exchanged  rings.  Helge  and  Halfdan  were  defeated  by 
Ring,  and  as  part  of  the  indemnity  he  demanded  Inge- 
borg's  hand.  Finding  upon  their  return  that  Frithjof  had 
been  there  without  their  permission,  they  required  him  as 
a  penalty  to  go  to  the  Orkneys  and  collect  the  tribute 
which  the  islanders  had  neglected  to  pay  since  the  death 


io8     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

of  Bele.  Frithjof  sailed  away  in  "  Ellida."  Meanwhile 
the  brothers  resorted  to  witchcraft  to  raise  a  storm  that 
should  destroy  his  vessel,  burned  his  barrow,  and  married 
the  lamenting  Ingeborg  to  Ring. 

It  is  at  this  point  that  the  text  of  the  cantata  begins. 
The  first  scene  pictures  the  return  of  Frithjof  and  his  joy 
at  the  prospect  of  seeing  Ingeborg,  whose  hand  the  false 
brothers  had  promised  him  if  he  were  successful.  Learn- 
ing what  had  occurred  in  his  absence,  Frithjof  goes  to  the 
temple  where  the  kings  are  sacrificing,  hurls  the  tribute  in 
Helge's  face,  fires  the  edifice,  and  hurries  to  the  sea, 
pursued  by  his  enemies.  The  hero  sails  away  again  in 
"  Ellida,"  and  becomes  a  sea-rover.  The  text  closes  with 
this  incident. 

The  cantata  opens  with  an  animated  instrumental  in- 
troduction ("  Frithjof "s  return"),  leading  to  the  barytone 
recitative  and  aria  ("  How  bravely  o'er  the  flood  so 
bright"),  —  a  very  expressive  song,  interspersed  with  the 
tender,  graceful  chorus  of  his  companions  ("O,  'tis  de- 
light when  the  land  far  appeareth").  The  second  scene 
is  preluded  with  a  wedding  march,  whose  blithe  measures 
are  in  marked  contrast  with  the  bridal  chorus  ("Sadly  the 
skald  walks  before  the  train"),  and  Ingeborg's  song 
("My  heart  with  sorrow  overflowing"),  describing  her 
grief  over  her  unhappy  destiny.  The  third  scene  ("  Frith- 
jof s  revenge"),  for  barytone,  chorus,  and  orchestra,  is 
one  of  great  power  in  its  dramatic  and  descriptive  char- 
acter, as  well  as  in  its  masterly  instrumentation.  It 
begins  with  a  chorus  of  priests  ("  Midnight  sun  on  the 
mountain  burns"),  gradually  accelerating  until  it  is  inter- 
rupted by  Frithjofs  cry  ("Go  to  Helas'  dark  abode"). 
Three  bars  of  chorus  intervene  ("  Woe  !  O  wicked  deed  "), 
when  Frithjof,  after  a  short  recitative,  sings  a  spirited  aria 
("  Where  my  father  rests  ").  At  its  close,  as  he  rescues 
Ingeborg's  ring  and  fires  the  temple,  the  chorus  resumes 


MAX  BRUCH 


BRUCH  109 

("  Woe  !  he  tugs  with  all  his  might  at  the  ring  ").  The 
choral  finale  of  this  scene,  with  its  effective  instrumenta- 
tion, is  a  masterpiece  of  dramatic  music.  After  the  storm, 
the  calm.  In  that  calm  occurs  a  melodical  episode  of  an 
extraordinary  character.  The  melody  itself  is  so  unlike 
anything  which  precedes  or  follows  it  that  it  must  have 
been  interpolated.  In  grateful  contrast  with  the  revenge 
of  Frithjof,  the  burning  of  the  temple,  and  the  curses  of 
the  infuriated  priests,  comes  the  fourth  scene  ("  Frithjof  s 
departure  from  the  Northland"),  —  a  solo  quartette  for 
male  voices  ("Sun  in  the  sky  now  mounteth  high"),  of 
exquisite  harmony,  leading  up  to  and  accompanying  a 
barytone  solo  remarkable  for  the  tender  beauty  of  its 
melody  and  the  majestic  sonority  of  its  style.  The  fifth 
scene  is  Ingeborg's  lament  for  her  lost  lover  ("Storms 
wildly  roar"), — a  soprano  solo,  which,  if  not  so  dramatic 
as  the  music  assigned  to  Frithjof,  is  nevertheless  full  of 
beautiful  sentiment.  The  work  closes  with  a  delightful 
chorus,  with  short  phrases  for  Frithjof  ("  Now  he  crosseth 
the  floods  of  the  salt  desert  waste "),  supposed  to  be 
sung  on  board  the  hero's  good  ship  "  Ellida,"  as  they 
sail  off  for  conquest  and  the  enjoyment  of  the  booty  he 
has  promised  his  companions. 

FAIR  ELLEN 

The  heroic  defence  of  Lucknow  by  its  British  garrison 
in  1857,  during  the  Sepoy  rebellion,  is  one  of  the  most 
memorable  events  in  the  English  administration  of  India. 
The  world  is  familiar  with  the  story  of  the  disaffection  of 
the  native  troops,  the  failure  of  Sir  Henry  Lawrence,  who 
was  in  command,  to  overcome  the  mutiny,  the  stubborn 
defence  which  the  brave  little  garrison  made  against  the 
repeated  assaults  of  the  native  troops,  their  temporary  as- 
sistance from  Outram  and  Havelock,  who  cut  their  way 


no     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

into  the  city,  and  the  final  relief  which  was  brought  to 
them  by  Sir  Colin  Campbell.  Of  all  the  stirring  incidents 
of  the  siege,  however,  not  one  has  made  such  a  strong  im- 
pression as  the  fanciful  story  of  the  Scotch  girl  who  heard 
the  slqgan  of  the  MacGregors  far  away  and  knew  the 
Highlanders  were  coming  to  their  rescue. 

It  is  this  incident  which  Bruch  has  used  as  the  theme 
of  his  cantata  "  Schbn  Ellen  "  ("  Fair  Ellen  ").  The  story 
is  identical  with  the  one  so  often  told  in  prose  and  poetry, 
but  the  dramatis  persona  differ.  Instead  of  General  Law- 
rence we  have  Lord  Edward,  and  instead  of  familiar  Jessie 
Brown  we  have  "  Fair  Ellen."  The  text  of  the  libretto, 
however,  is  weak  and  spiritless  as  compared  with  that  of 
the  poetical  versions,  but  the  strong,  vigorous  music  of  the 
cantata  makes  ample  compensation.  It  is  quite  brief, 
there  being  but  two  solo  parts  —  Fair  Ellen,  soprano,  and 
Lord  Edward,  barytone  —  and  five  short  chorus  numbers. 
The  former  are  vigorous  and  somewhat  declamatory  in 
style,  but  the  choruses  are  very  melodious  and  stirring. 
The  instrumentation  is  unusually  effective,  and  a  strong 
point  is  made  in  the  climax  by  the  interweaving  of  the 
familiar  air,  "The  Campbells  are  coming,"  with  the  or- 
chestral score.  It  lends  spirit  and  color  to  the  finale,  and 
closes  up  the  work  with  a  fine  burst  of  powerful  effect; 
Short  as  it  is,  "  Fair  Ellen  "  will  always  be  a  favorite  with 
audiences. 

ODYSSEUS 

The  cantata  of  "  Odysseus,"  like  that  of  "  Frithjof,"  is 
made  up  of  detached  scenes,  in  this  case  selected  from  the 
Odyssey  and  arranged  by  William  Paul  Graff.  The  work 
was  first  produced  in  1872,  and  has  met  with  great  success 
in  Germany,  England,  and  the  United  States.  It  is  divided 
into  two  parts,  the  first  containing  four,  and  the  second 
six  scenes.  The  characters  are  as  numerous  as  those  of  a 


BRUCH  in 

grand  opera,  and  include  Odysseus,  barytone ;  Penelope, 
alto ;  Alcinous,  King  of  the  Phoceans,  bass ;  Arete,  his 
consort,  alto ;  Nausicaa,  their  daughter,  soprano ;  the 
Helmsman,  bass ;  Pallas  Athene,  soprano ;  Leucothea,  so- 
prano ;  Spirit  of  Tiresias,  bass ;  Spirit  of  Anticleia,  Odys- 
seus' mother,  alto  j  and  Hermes,  tenor. 

In  the  first  scene  Odysseus  is  discovered  on  Calypso's 
enchanted  island  longing  for  home.  Hermes,  the  messen- 
ger of  the  gods,  appears  to  him  and  announces  that  the 
Immortals,  touched  by  his  sorrow,  will  rescue  him  and  re- 
store him  to  Penelope.  In  the  next  scene  the  wanderer 
has  reached  the  abysses  of  Erebus,  where  he  invokes  the 
world  of  shades.  The  spirits  of  children,  brides,  youths, 
and  old  men  successively  appear  to  him  and  narrate  their 
mournful  stories.  Then  Tiresias  the  bard  warns  him  of 
the  Sirens,  and  Anticleia  his  mother  bids  him  hasten  to 
Penelope.  In  the  third  scene  he  passes  the  isles  of  the 
Sirens,  and  escapes  their  wiles  through  the  firmness  of  his 
companions.  The  fourth  scene  describes  the  storm  at 
sea,  and  Odysseus'  rescue  by  Leucothea,  who  gives  him 
the  veil  the  Immortals  have  woven,  and  bids  the  Ocean- 
ides  and  Tritons  guide  him  safely  to  land ;  and  the  first 
part  closes  with  our  hero  peacefully  sleeping  on  the  flowery 
shore  of  the  island  of  Phocea. 

The  second  part  opens  with  the  lament  of  Penelope  and 
her  prayer  to  the  gods  to  restore  her  husband  to  her.  The 
sixth  scene  changes  to  the  island  again,  and  discloses 
Odysseus  awakened  from  his  slumbers  by  the  sports  and 
dances  of  Nausicaa  and  her  joyful  maidens.  In  the  next 
scene  a  sumptuous  banquet  is  spread  for  him,  at  which  he 
reveals  his  identity  and  asks  that  he  be  allowed  to  return 
to  his  home.  The  fair  Nausicaa,  though  suddenly  enam- 
oured of  the  handsome  stranger,  conceals  her  passion  and 
expedites  his  departure.  The  eighth  scene  gives  us  a 
sketch  of  Penelope  weaving  the  garment,  the  ruse  by 


ii2     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

which  she  kept  her  suitors  aloof.  The  ninth  scene  opens 
with  the  arrival  of  Odysseus  at  Ithaca.  The  sleeping 
wanderer  is  borne  ashore  by  his  comrades,  and  upon 
awaking  from  his  slumbers  fails  to  recognize  his  own  coun- 
try until  Pallas  Athene  appears  to  him.  The  goddess  con- 
vinces him  that  he  is  at  home  once  more,  and  then 
discloses  the  plot  of  the  suitors,  who  are  revelling  in  his 
palace,  to  compel  Penelope  to  select  one  of  them  that  day 
in  order  that  they  may  gain  possession  of  his  property. 
She  also  exposes  their  conspiracy  for  his  destruction,  from 
which  she  promises  to  protect  him.  The  final  scene  de- 
scribes the  glad  acclamations  of  the  people  as  they  rec- 
ognize Odysseus,  and  the  joy  of  Penelope  as  she  welcomes 
him  home  once  more. 

The  orchestral  introduction  is  free  and  flowing  in  char- 
acter, and  its  themes  are  taken  from  the  duet  of  Odys- 
seus and  Penelope,  which  occurs  later  on.  The  opening 
chorus  of  Calypso's  nymphs  ("  Here,  O  Hermes,  in  midst 
of  the  island  "  is  very  graceful  in  its  movement  and  is  set 
to  a  most  delightful  accompaniment.  It  is  followed  by 
Odysseus'  lament  ("Flow,  ye  tears,  since  days  are  hate- 
ful "),  at  first  tender  in  its  character,  then  changing  to  pas- 
sionate utterances  as  the  remembrance  of  Penelope  comes 
to  him,  and  closing  with  a  hopeful  strain  after  the  promise 
of  help  from  Zeus.  In  the  second  or  Hades  scene  the 
music  changes  from  its  bright  color  to  a  gloomier  minor 
tone.  It  opens  with  a  male  chorus  ("The  bounds  we 
have  reached  of  the  deep  flowing  ocean"),  pianissimo, 
gradually  increasing  in  intensity  and  accompanied  by  re- 
markable effects  in  tone-color  as  the  orchestra  describes 
"the  thundering  of  the  flood  Cocytus"  and  "the  surging 
aloft  of  the  shadows  of  the  departed."  It  is  followed  by 
semi-choruses  of  the  shades,  and  closes  with  a  very  spirited 
and  dramatic  male  chorus  ("  Dread  on  dread  !  ").  The 
third  scene  opens  with  a  fresh  and  characteristic  male 


BRUCH  113 

chorus  ("Our  sails  to  the  breezes"),  followed  by  the 
graceful  and  alluring  chorus  of  the  Sirens  ("  Come,  great 
Odysseus,  hero  of  might  ").  The  last  scene  is  almost  en- 
tirely choral  and  very  dramatic  in  its  effect,  especially  the 
opening  number  for  the  Oceanides  and  Tritons  ("  Hark  ! 
the  storm  gathers  from  afar  "),  with  its  vigorous  instrumen- 
tal description  of  the  tempest,  and  the  closing  number  for 
full  chorus  ("  Yonder  beckons  the  wood-crested  harbor"), 
which  in  its  tenderness  and  joyousness  forms  a  striking 
contrast  to  the  earlier  part  of  the  scene. 

The  second  part  is  introduced  with  a  dignified  and 
sombre  recitative  ("  Thou  far-darting  sun  "),  followed  by 
an  aria  of  the  same  character  ("  Oh  !  Atritone  ")  in  which 
Penelope  bewails  the  absence  of  Odysseus.  In  the  next 
scene  the  music  changes  to  a  bright  and  tripping  strain, 
the  chorus  of  Nausicaa's  maidens  ("  On  the  flowery  mead, 
girt  by  the  dimpling  tide").  After  Odysseus'  fervent 
appeal  ("  Hark  to  me !  Queen,  or  heaven-dwelling  God- 
dess ")  the  banquet  scene  occurs.  It  begins  with  an  ani- 
mated chorus  of  the  Phoceans  ("  Be  welcome,  stranger,  to 
Phocea's  land  "),  followed  by  an  exquisite  unison  chorus  of 
the  Rhapsodes  ("  Ten  years  now  are  past  since  Troy  in  the 
dust  was  laid  "),  set  to  an  accompaniment  of  harps.  A  sim- 
ple and  tender  melody  ("  Let  me  then  depart  in  peace  "), 
sung  by  Odysseus,  in  which  the  chorus  singers  gradually 
join,  closes  the  scene.  The  eighth  scene  contains  the 
most  expressive  solo  number  of  the  work,  Penelope's  aria 
("This  garment  by  day  I  weave  in  my  sorrow"),  with  a 
characteristic  descriptive  accompaniment.  The  gems  of 
the  ninth  scene  are  Odysseus'  passionate  aria  ("  O  my 
fatherland!  blest  remembrance!")  and  his  furious  re- 
venge song  ("  Miscreant !  woe  to  thee  ").  The  last  scene 
opens  with  a  joyous  chorus  of  the  people  ("  Say,  have  ye 
heard  the  tidings  of  joy?"),  followed  by  a  fervent  duet 
between  Odysseus  and  Penelope  ("  Omnipotent  Zeus  !  we 

8 


n4     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

call  on  thy  name").  The  final  chorus  begins  in  chorale 
style  ("In  flames  ascending"),  and  after  repeating  the 
melody  of  Odysseus'  song  in  the  seventh  scene  ("  No- 
where abides  such  delight"),  closes  with  a  fine  fugued 
passage  ("  Slayer  of  darkness  "). 


BRUCKNER 

1824-1896 
SYMPHONY  No.  2,  IN  C  MINOR 

1.  MODERATO. 

2.  ANDANTE,  FEIERLICH  ETWAS  BEWEGT. 

3.  SCHERZO. 

4.  FINALE. 

THE  first  movement  of  Bruckner's  Second  symphony 
is  in  the  ordinary  sonata  form,  opening  with  a  tremolo 
of  violins  and  violas,  accompanying  the  introduction  and 
the  first  theme  which  is  given  out  by  the  violoncellos,  with 
responses  from  the  horns.  The  theme  is  repeated  by  'cellos 
and  double  basses  to  a  more  vigorous  accompaniment, 
and  leads  to  a  climax.  At  its  close  the  'cellos  give  out 
the  second  theme,  followed  by  a  motive  for  the  strings  in 
unison  which  dominates  the  movement  through  the  first 
part.  Then  follows  the  free  fantasie  with  reentries  of  the 
themes,  stated  in  much  the  same  manner  as  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  movement,  after  which,  and  a  short  passage  in 
slow  time,  an  elaborate  coda  brings  the  movement  to  a 
close. 

The  second  movement,  in  A  flat  major,  is  constructed 
upon  two  themes  in  rondo  form,  the  first  given  out  by  the 
first  violins  with  accompaniment  of  the  other  strings,  and 
the  second,  or  minor  one,  by  the  horn  with  pizzicato  string 
accompaniment.  These  two  themes  are  developed  in  a 
very  skilful  manner,  especially  the  principal  one  by  the 
wind  instruments  in  the  close,  just  before  the  coda. 


n6     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

The  third  movement,  in  C  minor  (Scherzo),  opens  with  a 
somewhat  dignified  and  consequential  theme  for  a  Scherzo, 
which  is  at  first  stated  in  unison  by  the  strings,  wood  winds, 
and  horns,  and  afterwards  is  richly  developed  and  leads 
up  to  a  most  resonant  climax.  The  trio  is  in  waltz  time, 
the  theme  being  given  out  by  the  violas  with  a  violin 
tremolo,  and  at  its  conclusion  the  opening  of  the  move- 
ment is  repeated  and  followed  by  a  coda. 

The  fourth  movement,  in  C  minor,  is  built  up  on  three 
themes  which  are  worked  out  at  great  length  in  succession 
and  with  most  painstaking  elaboration,  the  movement 
closing  with  a  tremendous  climax.  This  symphony,  like 
all  of  Bruckner's,  is  a  masterpiece  of  musical  mechanics 
and  mathematics,  greatly  beloved  of  musicians  but  "  caviare 
to  the  general." 

SYMPHONY  No.  4,  IN  E  FLAT.     ("ROMANTIC") 

1.  ALLEGRO  MOLTO  MODERATO.  3.  SCHERZO. 

2.  ANDANTE.  4.  FINALE. 

The  Fourth  of  Briickner's  symphonies  was  first  produced 
in  Vienna  in  1881  and  was  performed  for  the  first  time  in 
America  by  the  Theodore  Thomas  Orchestra  in  Chicago, 
January  22,  1897.  Like  all  of  this  composer's  sympho- 
nies, it  is  so  elaborately  constructed  and  full  of  musical 
complications  that  it  is  only  possible,  in  a  volume  of  this 
kind,  to  present  a  bare  sketch.  An  exhaustive  analysis  of 
Bruckner's  symphonies,  indeed,  would  require  a  volume  of 
itself.  The  first  movement  opens  with  a  passage  for  the 
horns  accompanied  by  the  strings,  which,  several  times 
repeated,  prepares  the  way  for  the  introduction  of  the  first 
and  second  principal  subjects,  both  of  which  present  two 
themes.  These,  with  their  working  up  and  the  treatment 
of  subsidiary  ideas,  constitute  the  learned  structure  of  the 
movement  which  closes  with  a  return  to  the  horn  passage 
of  the  opening. 


ANTON  BRUCKNER 


BRUCKNER  117 

The  Andante  is  impressive  and  sombre  in  character, 
opening  with  a  funeral  march  with  characteristic  refrains, 
followed  by  a  melody  for  violas  with  string  pizzicato  ac- 
companiment. After  the  development  of  this  melody  the 
march  theme  is  restated  most  impressively  and  the  move- 
ment closes  with  drum  taps  as  the  second  theme  dies 
away. 

The  Scherzo  is  a  hunting  movement,  built  up  on  two 
lively  and  graceful  themes,  after  which  is  a  country  dance 
which  furnishes  the  material  for  the  trio.  The  movement 
closes  with  a  repetition  of  the  hunting  scene  music. 

The  Finale,  Wagner  fashion,  introduces  all  the  principal 
ideas  of  the  other  three  movements,  which  are  worked  up 
and  combined  with  the  utmost  skill.  It  is  in  reality  a 
resume  of  the  whole  symphony.  Old  forms  are  restated, 
and  new  forms  growing  out  of  them  are  presented.  The 
workmanship  is  solid  and  the  learning  of  the  composer  is 
everywhere  apparent.  The  result  is  interesting  even  to 
the  layman  who  may  not  be  able  to  follow  the  ideas  and 
purpose  of  the  composer,  while  to  the  musical  scholar  it 
presents  a  fascinating  problem  in  Wagnerism  applied  to 
the  symphonic  form. 

SYMPHONY  No.  7,  IN  E  MAJOR 

1.  ALLEGRO  MODERATO. 

2.  ADAGIO  :  SEHR  FEIERLICH  UNO  LANGSAM. 

3.  SCHERZO  :  ALLEGRO. 

4.  FINALE  :  BEWEGT,  DOCH  NICHT  SCHNELL. 

Bruckner's  Seventh  symphony  was  first  performed  in 
Leipsic,  December  30,  1884,  and  was  played  for  the  first 
time  in  America  in  New  York,  July  29,  1886,  under 
Theodore  Thomas'  direction.  The  opening  theme  of  the 
first  movement  is  stated  by  the  'cellos,  supported  by  the 
violas  and  clarinets.  It  is  then  repeated  by  the  violins  and 


wood  winds,  and  leads  up  to  the  second  theme,  given  out 
by  oboe  and  clarinet.  In  the  fantasia,  both  themes  are 
worked  up  most  skilfully,  and  are  followed  by  the  Finale, 
which  is  complicated  though  regular  in  form,  and  closes 
with  an  impressive  climax. 

The  second  movement,  an  Adagio,  is  based  upon  a  most 
impressive  theme  most  nobly  worked  out,  and  of  a  nature 
to  appeal  even  to  the  uneducated  hearer.  Though  treated 
most  elaborately,  the  contents  of  the  Adagio  are  very  emo- 
tional, and  the  coloring  so  beautiful  as  to  appeal  to  every 
one.  The  Scherzo  is  in  regular  form,  and  the  opening  is 
full  of  spirit  and  vivacity.  The  first  violins  give  out  the 
theme  of  the  trio,  and  the  movement  closes  with  a  repe- 
tition of  the  first  part. 

The  last  movement  is  in  rondo  form,  the  violins  giving 
out  a  brilliant  theme,  worked  up  in  a  fascinating  manner, 
and  leading  into  a  second  theme  of  a  more  solid  nature, 
also  stated  by  the  first  violins.  The  movement  closes  with 
a  powerful  climax,  in  which  the  opening  theme  of  the  first 
movement  is  heard  again. 

SYMPHONY  No.  9,  IN  D  MINOR  (UNFINISHED) 

1.  FEIERLICH. 

2.  SCHERZO. 

3.  ADAGIO. 

Bruckner's  Ninth  and  last  symphony  was  written  1891- 
1894,  and  was  first  heard  in  Vienna,  February  n,  1894. 
Its  first  performance  in  America  was  given  at  Chicago, 
February  19,  1904,  by  the  Theodore  Thomas  Orchestra. 
Bruckner  had  designed  closing  the  symphony  with  a 
choral  movement  in  the  manner  of  Beethoven's  Ninth, 
but  his  death  intervened  and  left  the  work  unfinished. 

The  opening  movement  is  so  elaborate  in  its  construc- 
tion as  to  render  it  impossible  to  convey  any  intelligent 


BRUCKNER  119 

description  of  it  in  the  condensed  shape  required  by  this 
volume.  It  contains  four  principal  themes,  each  leading  up 
to  powerful  climaxes.  The  movement,  indeed,  might  be 
called  a  series  of  climaxes,  for  after  the  reconsideration 
of  each  theme  and  its  fresh  development,  the  move- 
ment closes  with  a  new  climax,  which  only  the  word 
"  tremendous  "  can  fitly  describe. 

The  Scherzo  is  a  relief  after  the  tempests  of  the  open- 
ing movement,  being  in  dance  rhythm,  followed  by  the 
Trio,  and  a  repetition  of  the  first  part.  The  Adagio  move- 
ment consists  mainly  of  the  complicated  development  of 
two  principal  themes  leading  to  another  powerful  climax, 
but  closing  pianissimo.  The  symphony  is  mostly  inter- 
esting to  musical  scholars.  The  layman  is  apt  to  be 
thankful  the  work  was  left  unfinished,  though  it  would 
have  been  interesting  to  have  had  Bruckner's  choral 
ideas. 


BUCK 

1839- 

DON  MUNIO 

N  MUNIO,"  dramatic  cantata  for  solos,  chorus, 
and  orchestra,  was  written  in  1874.  The  story  of 
it  is  taken  from  Washington  Irving's  Spanish  papers,  and 
the  scene  is  laid  in  the  period  of  the  wars  with  the  Moors. 
While  hunting  one  morning,  Don  Munio  de  Hinojosa 
captures  a  cavalcade  which  is  escorting  the  Moorish  Prince, 
Abadil,  and  his  betrothed,  Constanza,  on  the  way  to  their 
wedding.  The  Prince,  all  escape  being  cut  off,  seeks  to 
purchase  the  good-will  of  Don  Munio  with  his  gold  and 
jewels,  and  implores  him  not  to  separate  him  from  his 
affianced.  The  Don,  touched  by  their  unfortunate  condi- 
tion, invites  them  to  spend  a  fortnight  at  his  castle, 
promising  that  the  nuptials  shall  be  celebrated  there,  and 
then  they  shall  be  released.  The  lovers  accept,  and  Don 
Munio  is  faithful  to  his  promise.  Shortly  after  their  de- 
parture he  is  ordered  by  the  King  to  join  in  the  expe- 
dition to  Palestine.  In  one  of  the  encounters  of  this 
crusade  he  is  killed  by  Abadil,  who  does  not  recognize 
his  former  benefactor  with  his  visor  closed.  His  death 
is  greatly  mourned  in  Spain,  but  Roderigo,  a  messenger 
from  Palestine,  arrives  and  brings  consolation,  telling  them 
that  one  evening  while  strolling  near  the  Holy  Sepulchre 
he  saw  seventy  Christian  knights  riding  in  ghostly  proces- 
sion, with  the  late  Don  Munio  at  their  head. 

After    the    orchestral    introduction    follows   a    spirited 
hunting-song  for  male  chorus.     The  next  scene  opens  in 


BUCK  121 

the  chamber  of  Donna  Maria,  wife  of  Don  Munio,  who 
laments  his  absence  in  a  minor  strain,  to  which  succeeds  a 
rondo  movement.  The  third  is  religious  in  character  and 
begins  with  a  prelude  closing  with  full  orchestra  and  organ, 
and  leading  to  barytone  solo  and  chorus,  and  a  short  ex- 
hortation to  prayer  by  Escobedo.  The  next  number  is 
an  Ave  Maria  for  full  chorus,  which  is  beautifully  har- 
monized. In  the  next  scene  we  encounter  Don  Munio  in 
the  forest,  and  are  treated  to  the  conventional  hunting- 
song.  The  next  number  hints  at  the  approach  of  the 
Moors,  which  is  soon  disclosed  by  a  pretty  three-part 
chorus  of  "  the  females  of  the  Moorish  cavalcade  as  they 
journey."  The  eighth  scene  contains  some  powerful  chorus 
work,  divided  between  the  furious  Spaniards  and  the  fright- 
ened women,  and  set  to  a  vigorous  accompaniment.  After 
the  tumult  ends,  Abadil  melodiously  appeals  to  Don  Munio, 
followed  by  a  brief  arioso  in  which  the  latter  makes  his 
terms,  and  a  spirited  chorus  of  gratitude  to  the  Don, 
which  close  the  first  part. 

After  a  short  prelude,  the  second  part  opens  with  a 
tenor  aria  for  Abadil  ("  O  thou  my  star!  "),  refined  in 
sentiment,  which  is  followed  by  the  chorale  ("  Jesu,  dulcis 
memoria"),  sung  by  the  chapel  choir.  A  duet  en- 
sues between  the  two  lovers  on  the  castle  terrace,  which 
is  quite  Italian  in  its  flavor,  and  one  of  the  most  effective 
numbers  in  the  cantata.  The  next  two  numbers  furnish 
the  wedding  music,  —  a  happy  bridal  chorus,  and  a  charm- 
ing bolero  for  orchestra.  These  lead  to  an  unaccompa- 
nied quartette  between  Don  Munio,  Donna  Maria,  Abadil, 
and  Constanza  ("It  is  the  lot  of  friends  to  part"). 
In  the  next  scene  occurs  a  vigorous  duet  between  Don 
Munio  and  his  wife,  in  which  he  informs  her  of  his  speedy 
departure  for  Palestine,  followed  by  a  stirring  battle-hymn 
for  male  chorus.  The  next  scene,  "  the  chapel  of  the 
castle,  choir  chanting  the  dirge  for  the  dead,"  is  in  strong 


122     STANDARD    CONCERT  .GUIDE 

contrast  with  the  preceding.  Mr.  Buck  has  rarely  written 
anything  better  in  his  sacred  music  than  this  beautiful  re- 
quiem. In  the  next  two  numbers  the  messenger  describes 
the  manner  of  Don  Munio's  death,  and  the  ghostly  vision 
at  the  sepulchre,  and  at  the  close  of  his  message  the  re- 
quiem changes  to  a  chorus  of  gratitude  ("  In  thankful 
hymns  ascending  ") . 


THE  GOLDEN  LEGEND 

"The  Golden  Legend"  was  written  in  competition  for 
the  prize  which  the  Cincinnati  May  Festival  Association 
offered  in  1879  for  the  best  work  of  a  native  composer. 
The  judges  were  Theodore  Thomas,  Otto  Singer,  Asgar 
Hamerik,  Carl  Zerrahn,  and  Dr.  Leopold  Damrosch. 
Their  award  was  made  to  "The  Golden  Legend,"  and  it 
was  first  performed  at  the  festival  of  1880,  with  Miss 
Annie  B.  Norton  as  Elsie,  Mr.  Frederick  Harvey  as  Prince 
Henry,  Mr.  J.  F.  Rudolphsen  as  Lucifer,  and  Mr.  M.  D. 
Whitney  as  Friar  Paul. 

The  text  of  the  cantata  is  composed  of  a  prologue,  epi- 
logue, and  twelve  scenes  taken  from  Longfellow's  episode 
in  "  Christus  "  by  the  same  name.  The  mediaeval  story  is 
a  simple  one.  Prince  Henry  of  Hoheneck,  stricken  down 
with  an  incurable  ailment,  after  vainly  seeking  a  remedy, 
is  visited  by  Lucifer  disguised  as  a  physician,  who  tempts 
him  to  adopt  a  remedy  prescribed  by  a  doctor  of  Salerno ; 
namely,  the  blood  of  a  maiden  who  will  voluntarily  offer 
herself  as  a  sacrifice.  Elsie  devotes  her  life  to  the  Prince, 
and  they  journey  together  to  Salerno,  where  her  death 
must  take  place.  Arrived  at  the  spot,  the  Prince,  touched 
by  her  magnanimity,  entreats  her  to  forego  her  purpose ; 
but  she  insists  upon  it,  bids  him  farewell  in  the  school, 
and  enters  an  inner  apartment  with  Lucifer  disguised  as  a 
friar.  Before  the  tragedy  can  be  consummated,  the  Prince 


BUCK  123 

bursts  open  the  door,  with  the  aid  of  his  followers,  and  res- 
cues her.  The  pair  return  to  the  castle  on  the  Rhine, 
where  of  course  the  rapidly  convalescing  Prince  marries 
Elsie,  and  the  story  closes  with  an  epilogue  reciting  the 
discomfiture  of  Lucifer  and  the  triumph  of  good  over 
evil. 

After  a  spirited  prelude,  the  prologue  begins  with  the 
fruitless  attempt  of  Lucifer  to  pull  down  the  cross  on  the 
spire  of  Strasburg  Cathedral,  the  protests  of  the  spirits  of 
the  air  —  first  and  second  sopranos,  —  the  defiance  of  the 
bells  —  male  chorus, —  as  each  attempt  fails,  and  the  final 
disappearance  of  the  spirits  amid  the  chanting  of  the  ma- 
jestic Latin  hymn,  "  Nocte  surgentes,"  by  full  chorus  in  the 
church,  accompanied  by  the  organ.  The  second  scene 
opens  in  Prince  Henry's  chamber  in  the  tower  of  the 
Vautsberg  castle.  After  an  expressive  declamation  of  his 
melancholy  and  his  longing  for  rest  and  health  ("I  cannot 
sleep,  my  fervid  brain  calls  up  the  vanished  past  again"), 
Lucifer  appears  in  a  flash  of  light,  dressed  as  a  travelling 
physician,  and  a  dialogue  ensues,  which  closes  with  an  in- 
genious and  beautifully  written  number  for  the  two  voices, 
accompanied  by  a  four-part  chorus  of  mixed  voices  and 
a  small  semi-chorus  of  sopranos  and  altos  ("  Golden  vis- 
ions wave  and  hover").  The  fourth  scene  is  an  unac- 
companied quartette  ("  The  evening  song  "),  sung  by  Elsie, 
Bertha,  Max,  and  Gottlieb  in  their  peasant  home  in  the 
Odenwald,  as  they  light  the  lamps  ("O  gladsome  light  of 
the  Father").  It  is  a  simple,  tranquil  hymn,  but  full  of 
that  sacred  sentiment  which  this  composer  expresses  so 
admirably  in  music.  The  fifth  scene,  Elsie's  prayer  in  her 
chamber  ("My  Redeemer  and  my  Lord"),  in  its  calm 
beauty  and  religious  feeling  makes  a  fitting  pendant  to  the 
quartette.  In  the  next  number,  the  orchestra  is  utilized 
to  carry  on  the  action,  and  in  march  tempo  describes  the 
pilgrimage  to  Salerno  with  stately  intervals,  in  which  is 


i24     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

heard  the  sacred  song,  "  Urbs  coelestis,  Urbs  beata,"  sup- 
posed to  be  sung  by  the  pilgrims.  The  seventh  scene  is 
laid  in  the  refectory  of  the  convent  of  Hirschau,  in  the 
Black  Forest,  where  Lucifer  enters  the  gaudiolum  of 
monks,  disguised  as  a  friar,  and  sings  the  rollicking  Latin 
drinking-song,  "  Ave  color  vini  clari."  The  next  number 
is  for  orchestra  only,  and  once  more  the  instruments  are 
used  for  a  continuance  of  the  action  by  a  description  of 
the  carousal  of  the  monks  in  a  characteristic  allegro  bac- 
chanale,  the  abbot  testifying  his  indignation  through  the 
medium  of  the  trombone  and  the  use  of  the  Gregorian 
melody.  The  ninth  scene  changes  to  Genoa.  Elsie,  on  a 
terrace  overlooking  the  sea,  sings  a  charming  aria  ("  The 
night  is  calm  and  cloudless"),  with  a  choral  refrain  of 
"Kyrie  Eleison."  The  tenth  is  a  graceful  barcarolle  for 
orchestra,  but  it  is  somewhat  in  the  nature  of  an  interpola- 
tion, and  is  only  connected  with  the  movement  of  the  story 
by  a  thin  thread.  The  eleventh  scene  is  a  spirited  and 
beautifully  written  male  chorus  of  sailors  ("  The  wind  upon 
our  quarter  lies  ").  The  twelfth  reaches  the  climax  in  the 
scene  at  the  college  of  Salerno  between  Lucifer,  Elsie,  and 
the  Prince,  with  accompaniment  of  attendants,  and  is  dra- 
matic throughout.  It  is  followed  by  a  tender  love-duet  for 
Elsie  and  the  Prince  on  the  terrace  of  the  castle  of  Vauts- 
berg,  which  leads  to  the  epilogue  ("O  beauty  of  holiness"), 
for  full  chorus  and  orchestra,  in  which  the  composer  is  at 
his  best  both  in  the  construction  of  the  vocal  parts  and  the 
elaborately  worked-up  accompaniments. 

THE  VOYAGE  OF  COLUMBUS 

"The  Voyage  of  Columbus"  was  written  in  1885,  and 
first  published  in  Germany.  The  text  of  the  libretto  was 
prepared  by  the  composer  himself,  extracts  from  Washing- 
ton Irving's  "  Columbus  "  forming  the  theme  of  each  of 


DUDLEY  BUCK 


BUCK  125 

the  six  scenes,  all  of  which  are  supposed  to  transpire  at 
evening,  and  are  therefore  styled  by  the  composer  "  night- 
scenes." 

The  cantata  opens  with  a  brief  orchestral  prelude  of  a 
sombre  character  begun  by  the  trombone  sounding  the 
Gregorian  intonation,  and  leading  to  the  barytone  solo  of 
the  priest  ("  Ye  men  of  Spain,  the  time  is  nigh  "),  to  which 
the  full  male  chorus  responds  with  ever-increasing  power, 
reaching  the  climax  in  the  "  Ora  pro  nobis."  Twice  the 
priest  repeats  his  adjuration,  followed  by  the  choral  re- 
sponse, the  last  time  with  joy  and  animation  as  the  flag  of 
Castile  is  raised  and  they  bid  farewell  to  the  shores  of 
Spain.  A  short  allegro  brings  the  scene  to  a  close. 

The  second  scene  is  a  bass  aria  for  Columbus  ("  Eigh- 
teen long  years  of  labor,  doubt,  and  scorn  "),  of  a  vigorous 
and  spirited  character,  changing  to  a  solemn  adagio  in  the 
prayer  ("  Lord  of  all  power  and  might  "),  and  closing 
with  a  few  spirited  phrases  in  the  opening  tempo.  It  is 
followed  by  the  Vesper  Hymn  ("Ave  Maris  Stella"),  a 
number  in  which  the  composer's  eminent  ability  in  sacred 
music  is  clearly  shown.  Its  tranquil  harmony  dies  away 
in  the  softest  of  pianissimos,  and  is  followed  by  an  agitated 
prelude  introducing  the  furious  chorus  of  the  mutinous 
crew  ("  Come,  comrades,  come  "),  which  gathers  intensity 
as  it  progresses,  voices  and  instruments  uniting  in  broken 
but  powerful  phrases,  sometimes  in  full  chorus  and  again 
in  solo  parts,  until  the  climax  is  reached,  when  Colum- 
bus intervenes  in  brief  solos  of  great  dignity,  to  which 
the  chorus  responds,  the  scene  closing  with  the  re- 
newal of  allegiance,  —  a  stirring  bass  solo  with  choral 
accompaniment. 

The  fifth  scene  is  a  tenor  recitative  and  love-song  of  a 
most  graceful  character,  and  one  which  will  become  a 
favorite  when  it  is  well  known  ("  In  Andalusia  the  night- 
ingale ").  The  final  scene  is  elaborate  in  its  construction, 


126     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

and  brings  the  work  to  a  sonorous  and  stately  close.  It 
opens  with  dramatic  recitative  by  Columbus  ("  The  night 
is  dark  "),  at  the  close  of  which  there  is  a  short  orchestral 
prelude  which  serves  to  introduce  a  trio  ("  Here  at  your 
bidding")  for  Columbus  and  two  officers  (first  tenor  and 
first  bass).  At  the  cry  of  a  seaman  ("  Land  ho  !  ")  the 
chorus  responds  with  animation.  Columbus  bids  his  crew 
join  him  "  in  prayer  and  grateful  praise."  The  answer 
comes  in  a  "  Hallelujah,"  which  is  fairly  majestic  in  its 
progression,  reaching  its  close  in  full,  broad  harmony, 
with  the  accompanying  strains  of  trumpets. 

THE  LIGHT  OF  ASIA 

Mr.  Buck's  cantata,  "The  Light  of  Asia,"  well  nigh 
reaches  the  dimensions  of  an  opera  or  oratorio.  It  was 
written  in  1886  and  first  published  in  England.  Its 
name  reveals  its  source,  and  the  composer  has  made  com- 
pensation for  the  privilege  of  using  Mr.  Edwin  Arnold's 
beautiful  poem  by  a  graceful  dedication  of  the  work  to 
him.  It  is  divided  into  four  parts,  —  Prologue,  the  Re- 
nunciation and  Temptation,  the  Return,  and  Epilogue 
and  Finale. 

The  first  part  has  nine  numbers.  A  brief  prelude  leads 
to  the  fugued  chorus  ("  Below  the  highest  sphere  four 
regents  sit")  opened  by  the  basses.  It  is  simple  in  its 
construction  but  stately  in  theme  and  dignified  through- 
out, and  is  followed  by  a  bass  solo  of  descriptive  character 
("  The  King  gave  order  that  his  town  should  keep  high 
festival").  This  closes  with  a  few  choral  measures,  so tto 
voce,  relating  that  the  King  had  ordered  a  festival  in  honor 
of  the  advent  of  Buddha,  and  how  a  venerable  saint,  Asita, 
recognized  the  divinity  of  the  child  and  "the  sacred 
primal  signs,"  and  foretold  his  mission.  The  third  num- 
ber is  the  description  of  the  young  Sidclartha,  set  in 


BUCK  127 

graceful  recitative  and  semi-chorus  for  female  voices,  with 
a  charming  accompaniment.  The  fourth  is  a  spring  song 
("O  come  and  see  the  pleasance  of  the  Spring"),  begun 
by  tenors  and  basses  and  then  developing  into  full  chorus 
with  animated  descriptive  effects  for  the  orchestra,  pictur- 
ing "  the  thickets  rustling  with  small  life,"  the  rippling 
waters  among  the  palms,  the  blue  doves'  cooings,  the  jun- 
gles laughing  with  the  nesting-songs,  and  the  far-off  village 
drums  beating  for  marriage  feasts.  A  recitative  for  bass 
("  Bethink  ye,  O  my  ministers "),  in  which  the  King 
counsels  with  his  advisers  as  to  the  training  of  the  child, 
leads  to  a  four- part  song  for  tenors  and  basses  ("  Love 
will  cure  these  thin  distempers  "),  in  which  they  urge  him 
to  summon  a  court  of  pleasure  in  which  the  young  prince 
may  award  prizes  to  the  fair.  The  King  orders  the  festi- 
val, and  in  the  next  number  —  a  march  and  animated 
three-part  chorus  for  female  voices,  —  Kapilavastu's  maid- 
ens flock  to  the  gate.  Then  comes  the  recognition,  briefly 
told  in  soprano  recitative.  Yasodhara  passes,  and  "  at 
sudden  sight  of  her  he  changed."  A  beautiful  love-duet 
for  soprano  and  tenor  ("  And  their  eyes  mixed,  and  from 
the  look  sprang  love  ")  closes  the  scene.  The  next  num- 
ber is  a  bass  solo  narrating  the  triumph  of  Siddartha  over 
all  other  suitors,  leading  to  a  jubilant  and  graceful  wedding 
chorus  ("Enter,  thrice-happy!  enter,  thrice-desired  1  "), 
the  words  of  which  are  taken  from  the  "  Indian  Song  of 
Songs." 

The  second  part  opens  with  a  soprano  solo  describing 
his  pleasure  with  Yasodhara,  in  the  midst  of  which  comes 
the  warning  of  the  Devas  ("We  are  the  voices  of  the 
wandering  wind").  This  number  is  a  semi-chorus,  set 
for  female  voices,  interspersed  with  brief  phrases  for 
tenor,  and  after  a  bass  solo,  relating  the  King's  dream 
and  the  hermit's  interpretation,  which  induces  him  to 
doubly  guard  Siddartha's  pleasure-house,  leads  up  to  a 


128     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

beautiful  chorus,  divided  between  two  sopranos,  alto,  two 
tenors,  and  two  basses  ("  Softly  the  Indian  night  sunk 
o'er  the  plain  ").  The  next  scene  opens  with  a  soprano 
solo  ("Within  the  bower  of  inmost  splendor"),  in  which 
Yasodhara  relates  her  dream  of  the  voice  crying  "  The 
time  is  nigh,"  to  Siddartha,  and  closes  with  a  tender  duet 
for  soprano  and  tenor.  The  next  number  is  a  brief 
chorus  ("Then  in  her  tears  she  slept"),  followed  by  the 
tenor  solo  ("  I  will  depart "),  in  which  Siddartha  pro- 
claims his  resolve  "  to  seek  deliverance  and  the  unknown 
light,"  and  leading  to  a  richly  colored  and  majestic  chorus 
("There  came  a  wind  which  lulled  each  sense  aswoon"). 
A  tenor  solo  describes  the  six  long  years  of  wandering, 
followed  by  a  characteristic  chorus  of  voices  of  earth  and 
air  bidding  him  pass  to  the  tree  under  whose  leaves  it  was 
foretold  that  truth  should  come  to  him  for  the  saving  of 
the  world.  A  short  bass  recitative  leads  to  a  vigorous 
descriptive  chorus  relating  the  temptations  of  Siddartha, 
in  which  the  orchestra  is  used  with  masterly  effect.  A 
brief  soprano  solo,  the  apparition  of  Yasodhara  among  the 
wanton  shapes  floating  about  the  tree,  imploring  him  to 
return,  and  the  tenor  response,  bidding  the  shadow  depart, 
intervene ;  and  then  the  chorus  resumes  with  increased 
vigor,  reaching  a  furious  climax  as  the  legions  of  hell 
tempt  him,  but  dying  away  in  the  close  to  phrases  of 
tender  beauty  ("  Radiant,  rejoicing,  strong,  Buddha 
arose  "). 

The  third  part  (the  Return)  opens  with  a  soprano  solo 
of  a  slow  and  mournful  character,  relating  the  sorrow  of 
Yasodhara  and  the  visit  of  her  damsels,  who  announce 
the  arrival  of  merchants  with  tidings  of  Siddartha.  They 
are  summoned,  and  tell  their  story  in  a  short  chorus, 
which  is  followed  by  a  brief  soprano  solo  ("Uprose 
Yasodhara  with  joy"),  an  exultant  chorus  ("While  the 
town  rang  with  music"),  and  another  brief  phrase  for 


BUCK  129 

soprano,  leading  to  a  fine  choral  outburst  ("  T  is  he  ! 
Siddartha,  who  was  lost ").  The  next  number,  a  bass 
solo  describing  the  King's  wrath  when  he  learns  that 
Siddartha  has  returned  as  a  yellow-robed  hermit  instead 
of  with  "  shining  spears  and  tramp  of  horse  and  foot,"  is 
sonorous  as  well  as  dramatic,  and  is  followed  by  a  tenor 
and  bass  dialogue  developing  into  a  trio  of  great  beauty 
("Thus  passed  the  three  into  the  way  of  peace").  The 
final  number  is  a  masterpiece  of  choral  work  both  in  the 
elaborateness  of  its  construction  and  the  majesty  of  its 
effect,  and  brings  the  cantata  to  a  close  with  the  mystic 
words,  "  The  dew  is  on  the  lotus  !  Rise,  great  Sun  !  " 


CORDER 

1852- 

THE  BRIDAL  OF  TRIERMAIN 

"  >"T""VHE  Bridal  of  Triermain"  was  written  for  the  Wol- 
JL  verhampton  (England)  Festival  of  1886.  The  sub- 
ject is  taken  from  Sir  Walter  Scott's  poem  of  the  same  name. 
The  adaptation  has  been  made  in  a  very  free  manner,  but 
the  main  incidents  of  the  poem  have  been  carefully  pre- 
served. Sir  Roland's  vision  of  the  "  Maid  of  Middle 
Earth  "  ;  the  bard  Lyulph's  recital  of  the  Arthurian  legend, 
which  tells  of  Gyneth's  enchantment  in  the  valley  of  St. 
John  by  Merlin ;  the  magic  wrought  by  Merlin  in  the 
valley  to  delude  Roland  and  thwart  his  effort  to  rescue 
Gyneth  ;  his  daring  entrance  into  the  palace  grounds  ;  the 
discovery  of  the  Princess  in  the  enchanted  hall,  and  her 
final  rescue  are  the  themes  which  the  composer  has 
treated. 

The  cantata  has  no  overture,  but  opens  with  a  choral 
introduction  ("Where  is  the  maiden  of  mortal  strain?"). 
An  orchestral  interlude  in  the  form  of  a  tender,  graceful 
nocturne  follows,  leading  up  to  the  tenor  solo  ("The 
dawn  of  an  autumn  day  did  creep  "),  in  which  the  Baron 
relates  the  apparition  he  has  seen  in  his  dream.  A  short 
bass  recitative  by  Lyulph,  the  bard,  introduces  the  Legend, 
which  is  told  in  an  effective  number  for  soprano  solo,  bass 
solo,  and  chorus  ("In  days  e'en  minstrels  now  forget"). 
The  next  number,  a  dramatic  dialogue  for  soprano  and 
tenor,  gives  us  the  conversation  between  Arthur  and  Gy- 
neth, and  leads  to  a  full,  energetic  chorus  with  descriptive 


FREDERICK  CORDER 


CORDER  131 

accompaniment,  picturing  the  bloody  tourney  and  its 
sudden  interruption  by  the  appearance  of  Merlin,  the 
enchanter.  The  first  part  closes  with  a  charming  num- 
ber ("'Madmen,'  he  cried,  'your  strife  forbear'")  ar- 
ranged for  bass  solo,  quartette,  and  chorus,  in  which  is 
described  the  spell  which  Merlin  casts  upon  Gyneth. 

The  second  part,  after  a  short  allegro  movement  for  or- 
chestra, opens  with  a  contralto  solo  ("  Of  wasted  fields 
and  plundered  flocks  ")  which  prepares  the  way  for  a  con- 
certed number  for  solos  and  chorus  ("  And  now  the  moon 
her  orb  has  hid"),  describing  the  magical  arts  which 
Merlin  employed  to  thwart  the  Baron.  A  succession  of 
bass,  tenor,  and  contralto  recitatives  ("Wroth  waxed  the 
warrior")  leads  to  another  powerful  chorus  ("Rash  ad- 
venturer, bear  thee  back  "),  the  song  of  the  "four  maids 
whom  Afric  bore,"  in  which  the  composer  has  caught  the 
weird,  strange  color  of  the  scene  and  given  it  vivid  expres- 
sion. A  tenor  recitative  ("  While  yet  the  distant  echoes 
roll")  leads  up  to  a  graceful,  sensuous  soprano  solo  and 
female  chorus  ("Gentle  knight,  a  while  delay").  Its 
counterpart  is  found  in  the  tenor  recitative  and  spirited, 
dignified  male  chorus  ("  Son  of  honor,  theme  of  story  "). 
The  denouement  now  begins.  A  contralto  solo,  declama- 
tory in  style  ("  In  lofty  hall,  with  trophies  graced  "),  and 
a  short  soprano  solo  of  a  joyous  character  ("Thus  while 
she  sang ")  lead  to  the  final  number  ("  Gently,  lo  !  the 
warrior  kneels  "),  beginning  with  full  chorus,  which  after 
short  solos  for  tenor  and  soprano  takes  a  spirited  martial 
form  ("And  on  the  champion's  brow  was  found"),  and 
closes  with  a  quartette  and  chorus  worked  up  to  an 
imposing  climax. 


COSTA 

1808-1884 

Eu 

THE  oratorio  of  "  Eli,"  the  text  taken  from  the  first 
book  of  Samuel,  and  adapted  by  William  Bartholo- 
mew, was  first  performed  at  the  Birmingham  Festival,  Au- 
gust, 1855,  under  Costa's  own  direction,  with  Mesdames 
Viardot  and  Novello  and  Messrs.  Sims  Reeves  and  Carl 
Formes  in  the  principal  parts.  The  characters  are  Eli, 
Elkanah,  Hannah,  Samuel,  the  Man  of  God,  Saph,  Philis- 
tine warrior,  Hophni  and  Phinehas,  sons  of  Eli,  and 
Priests  and  Philistines  as  chorus.  The  story  is  not  very 
consistent  in  its  outlines,  and  is  fragmentary  withal,  the 
narrative  of  the  child  Samuel  being  the  central  theme, 
around  which  are  grouped  the  tribulations  of  Elkanah  and 
Hannah,  the  service  of  Eli  the  priest,  the  revels  of  his 
profligate  sons,  and  the  martial  deeds  of  the  Philistines. 

The  overture  opens  with  a  pianissimo  prelude  for  organ 
in  chorale  form,  followed  by  an  orchestral  fugue  well 
worked  up,  but  quiet  in  character.  Indeed,  the  whole 
overture  is  mostly  pianissimo.  In  striking  contrast  fol- 
lows the  opening  recitative  for  bass  ("  Blow  ye  the 
trumpet  "),  which  is  the  signal  for  those  instruments,  and 
introduces  the  first  chorus  ("  Let  us  go  to  pray  before  the 
Lord "),  beginning  with  a  soft  staccato  which  gradually 
works  up  to  a  jubilant  climax  on  the  words  "  Make  a  joy- 
ful noise."  A  tenor  solo  for  Elkanah  is  interwoven  with 
the  chorus,  which  closes  with  broad,  flowing  harmony. 
The  next  number,  a  bass  air  with  chorus  ("  Let  the  people 
praise  Thee  "),  is  somewhat  peculiar  in  its  construction. 


COSTA  133 

It  begins  with  the  air,  which  is  slow  and  tender,  and  at  the 
close  the  chorus  takes  it  in  canon  form.  Then  Eli  intones 
benedictions  in  chorale  style,  and  the  chorus  responds 
with  "  Amens  "  in  full  harmony  at  the  end  of  each,  mak- 
ing an  impressive  effect.  It  is  followed  by  an  elaborate 
chorus  ("  Blessed  be  the  Lord"),  closing  with  a  fugue  on 
the  word  "Amen,"  which  is  clear  and  well  worked  up. 
The  next  number  is  the  sorrowful  prayer  of  the  barren 
and  grieving  Hannah  ("Turn  Thee  unto  me  "),  which  is 
expressive  in  its  mournful  supplication,  and  finely  con- 
trasted with  her  joyous  song  after  the  birth  of  Samuel. 
Eli  rebukes  her,  and  a  dialogue  ensues,  interrupted  by  the 
tender  chorus  ("The  Lord  is  good").  The  dialogue 
form  is  again  renewed,  this  time  by  Elkanah  and  Hannah, 
leading  to  a  beautiful  duet  between  them  ("  Wherefore  is 
thy  soul  cast  down?  "). 

The  character  of  the  music  now  changes  as  we  enter 
upon  a  long  drinking-cho'rus,  with  solos  by  the  two  revel- 
lers, Hophni  and  Phinehas  ("For  everything  there  is  a 
season  ").  The  change  from  the  seriousness  of  the  pre- 
ceding numbers  is  very  abrupt,  and  the  music  of  the 
chorus  is  decidedly  of  the  conventional  Italian  drinking- 
song  character.  Eli  appears  and  rebukes  them,  and  after 
a  cantabile  aria  ("Thou  shouldst  mark  iniquities"),  a 
short  chorus  of  Levites,  for  tenors  and  basses,  ensues,  in- 
troducing a  simple,  but  well-sustained  chorale  for  full 
chorus  ("  How  mighty  is  Thy  name  ").  At  this  point  the 
"  Man  of  God  "  appears,  rebuking  the  Levites  for  their 
polluted  offerings.  His  denunciations  are  declaimed  in 
strong,  spirited  phrases,  accompanied  by  the  chorus  of  the 
people  ("They  have  profaned  it"),  beginning  in  unison. 
The  scene  now  changes  to  the  camp  of  the  Philistines, 
where  Saph,  their  man  of  war,  shouts  out  his  angry  and 
boisterous  defiance  in  his  solo  ("Philistines,  hark,  the 
trumpet  sounding  ").  It  is  followed  by  a  chorale  response 


134     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

from  the  Philistines  ("  Speed  us  on  to  fight  "),  which  is 
in  the  same  robust  and  stirring  style,  though  the  general 
effect  is  theatrical  and  somewhat  commonplace.  Com- 
bined with  it  is  a  chorale  response  by  the  priests  of  Dagon, 
of  an  Oriental  character.  After  this  clash  of  sound  follows 
an  air  of  a  sombre  style  by  Eli  ("  Hear  my  prayer,  O 
Lord "),  the  introduction  and  accompaniment  of  which 
are  very  striking.  The  "  Man  of  God  "  once  more  ap- 
pears, announcing  the  approaching  death  of  Eli's  sons  to 
a  weird,  sepulchral  accompaniment  of  the  reeds  and  trom- 
bones, and  leading  up  to  a  very  effective  duet  between 
them  ("  Lord,  cause  thy  face  to  shine  upon  Thy  servant  "). 
Another  chorale  ensues  ("  Oh,  make  a  joyful  noise"),  and 
after  a  brief  recitative  Hannah  has  a  most  exultant  song, 
overflowing  with  love  and  gratitude  at  the  birth  of  Samuel 
("I  will  extol  Thee,  O  Lord  ").  The  first  part  closes 
with  a  brief  recitative  between  Hannah  and  Eli,  preluding 
a  fugued  chorus  ("  Hosanna  in  the  highest "),  built  up  on 
two  motives  and  one  of  the  most  elaborate  numbers  in  the 
oratorio. 

The  second  part  opens  with  a  chaste  and  lovely  melody, 
the  morning  prayer  of  the  child  Samuel  ("  Lord,  from  my 
bed  again  I  rise"),  followed  with  some  pretty  recitative 
between  the  child  and  his  parents,  and  an  unaccompanied 
quartette,  set  to  the  same  chorale  theme  that  was  heard  in 
the  organ  prelude  to  the  overture.  The  next  number  is  the 
long  and  showy  instrumental  march  of  the  Israelites,  fol- 
lowed by  two  striking  choruses,  —  the  first  of  which 
("  Hold  not  Thy  peace  and  be  not  still,  O  God  !")  appeals 
for  divine  help  against  the  enemy,  and  the  second,  an 
allegro  ("  O  God,  make  them  like  awheel"),  leads  into  a 
fugue  ("  So  persecute  them  "),  which  is  energetic  in  char- 
acter, and  closes  with  the  martial  hymn  ("  God  and  King 
of  Jacob's  nation"),  sung  to  the  melody  of  the  preceding 
march. 


SIR  MICHAEL  COSTA 


COSTA  135 

The  oratorio  abounds  in  contrasts,  and  here  occurs 
another,  the  evening  prayer  of  Samuel  ("  This  night  I  lift 
my  heart  to  Thee"), — a  pure,  quiet  melody,  gradually 
dying  away  as  he  drops  asleep,  and  followed  by  an  angel 
chorus  for  female  voices  with  harp  accompaniment  ("  No 
evil  shall  befall  thee  "),  the  effect  of  which  is  very  beauti- 
ful, especially  in  the  decrescendo  at  the  close.  A  messen- 
ger suddenly  arrives,  announcing  the  defeat  of  Israel  by 
the  Philistines,  upon  which  the  chorus  bursts  out  in  the 
descriptive  number  ("  Woe  unto  us,  we  are  spoiled  ! "). 
Some  dramatic  recitative  between  Samuel  and  Eli  follows, 
after  which  the  Levites  join  in  the  chorus  ("  Bless  ye  the 
Lord  "),  opening  with  the  tenors  and  closing  in  four  parts, 
with  the  call  of  Eli  intervening  ("  Watchmen,  what  of  the 
night?").  A  long  recitative  by  Samuel  ("The  Lord 
said"),  foreshadowing  the  disasters  to  the  house  of  Eli; 
an  air  by  Eli  ("  Although  my  house  be  not  with  God  ") ;  a 
funeral  chorus  by  the  Israelites  ("  Lament  with  a  doleful 
lamentation");  further  phrases  of  recitative  announcing 
more  defeats  of  Israel,  the  capture  of  the  ark,  the  death 
of  Eli  and  his  sons,  and  an  appeal  by  Samuel  to  blow 
the  trumpet,  calling  a  solemn  assembly  to  implore  the 
pity  of  the  Lord,  —  prepare  the  way  for  the  final  chorus 
("  Blessed  be  the  Lord  "),  which  closes  with  a  fugue  on 
the  word  "Hallelujah." 


COWEN 

1852- 

THE  SLEEPING  BEAUTY 

"  >  •  VHE  Sleeping  Beauty,"  written  for  the  Birmingham 
A  Festival  of  1885,  the  poem  by  Francis  Hueffer, 
has  for  its  theme  the  well-known  fairy  tale  which  has  been 
so  often  illustrated  in  music  and  upon  canvas.  It  is  a  great 
favorite  in  England,  and  has  also  met  with  a  successful  re- 
ception in  Paris,  where  it  was  brought  out  under  the  title 
of  "  La  Belle  au  Bois  Dormant." 

After  a  brief  orchestral  introduction,  a  three-part  chorus 
—  altos,  tenors,  and  basses  —  tells  the  story  of  the  ancient 
King  to  whom  an  heiress  was  born  when  all  hope  of  off- 
spring had  been  abandoned,  the  gay  carousal  which  he 
ordered,  and  the  sudden  appearance  of  the  twelve  fays, 
guardians  of  his  house,  with  their  spinning-wheels  and 
golden  flax,  who  sing  as  they  weave  ("Draw  the  thread 
and  weave  the  woof").  In  beauty  of  melody  and  graceful- 
ness of  orchestration  this  chorus  of  the  fays  is  specially 
noticeable.  Its  charming  movement,  however,  is  inter- 
rupted by  a  fresh  passage  for  male  chorus,  of  an  agitated 
character,  describing  the  entrance  of  the  wicked  fay, 
who  bends  over  the  cradle  of  the  child  and  sings  a  charac- 
teristic contralto  aria  ("  From  the  gold  of  the  flaxen 
reel ").  Following  this  aria,  the  male  chorus  has  a  few 
measures,  invoking  a  curse  upon  the  fay,  which  leads  to 
a  full  chorus  of  an  animated  character,  foretelling  that 
there  shall  dawn  a  day  when  a  young  voice,  more  powerful 
than  witchcraft,  will  save  her ;  at  the  close  of  which  the 


COWEN  137 

guardian  fays  are  again  heard  drawing  the  thread  and 
weaving  the  woof  in  low,  murmuring  tones,  with  a  spinning 
accompaniment.  It  is  followed  by  a  trio  —  soprano,  tenor, 
and  bass  —  with  chorus  accompaniment,  announcing  the 
departure  of  the  fays,  and  leading  to  a  melodious  tenor 
solo,  with  two  graceful  orchestral  interludes,  which  moral- 
izes on  what  has  occurred  and  closes  the  prologue. 

The  first  scene  opens  in  a  hall  in  the  King's  palace, 
and  is  full  of  animation.  A  brilliant  orchestral  prelude 
leads  to  the  full  chorus  in  waltz  time  ("  At  dawn  of  day 
on  the  first  of  May  "),  which  moves  along  with  a  fascinat- 
ing swing,  and  closes  in  a  vigorous  climax.  At  this  point 
the  King  makes  his  appearance  and  expresses  his  joy  that 
the  time  has  passed  when  the  prophecy  of  the  wicked 
fay  could  take  effect,  for  this  is  the  Princess's  twentieth 
birthday.  A  dialogue  follows  between  the  King  and  his 
daughter,  closing  with  a  beautiful  chorus  ("  Pure  as  thy 
heart ") ,  after  which  the  dance-music  resumes.  Unobserved 
the  Princess  leaves  the  banqueting- hall,  glides  along  a 
gallery,  and  ascends  the  staircase  to  a  turret  chamber. 
Before  she  enters  she  sings  an  aria,  of  a  tranquil,  dreamy 
nature  ("Whither  away,  my  heart?"),  and  interwoven 
with  it  are  heard  the  gradually  lessening  strains  of  the 
dance-music. 

The  second  scene  opens  in  the  turret  chamber,  where 
the  wicked  fay,  disguised  as  an  old  crone,  is  spinning. 
After  a  short  dialogue,  in  which  the  fay  explains  to  the 
Princess  the  use  of  the  wheel,  she  bids  her  listen,  and 
sings  a  weird  ballad  ("As  I  sit  at  my  spinning-wheel, 
strange  dreams  come  to  me  "),  closing  with  the  refrain  of 
the  old  prophecy,  "  Ere  the  buds  of  her  youth  are  blown." 
The  Princess  dreamily  repeats  the  burden  of  the  song, 
and  then,  fearing  the  presence  of  some  ill  omen,  opens 
the  door  to  escape.  She  hears  the  dance-music  again, 
but  the  fay  gently  draws  her  back  and  induces  her  to 


138     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

touch  the  flax.  As  she  does  so,  the  fay  covertly  prick 
her  finger  with  the  spindle.  She  swoons  away,  the  dance- 
music  suddenly  stops,  and  there  is  a  long  silence,  broken 
at  last  by  the  fay's  triumphant  declaration,  "  Thus  have  I 
wrought  my  vengeance."  The  next  number  is  the  incan- 
tation music  ("Spring  from  the  earth,  red  roses  "),  a  dra- 
matic declamation,  sung  by  the  fay  and  interwoven  with 
snatches  of  chorus  and  the  refrain  of  the  prophecy.  A 
choral  interlude  ("Sleep  in  bower  and  hall")  follows,  de- 
scribing in  a  vivid  manner,  both  with  voices  and  instru- 
ments, the  magic  sleep  that  fell  upon  the  castle  and  all  its 
inmates. 

The  strain  of  a  horn  signal,  constantly  growing  louder, 
heralds  the  Prince,  who  enters  the  silent  palace,  sword  in 
hand,  among  the  sleeping  courtiers,  knights,  and  ladies. 
After  a  vigorous  declamation  ("Light,  light  at  last")  he 
passes  on  his  way  to  the  turret  chamber,  where  he  be- 
holds the  sleeping  Princess.  The  love-song  which  follows 
("  Kneeling  before  thee,  worshipping  wholly ")  is  one 
of  the  most  effective  portions  of  the  work.  His  kiss 
awakes  her,  and  as  she  springs  up,  the  dance-music  at 
once  resumes  from  the  bar  where  it  had  stopped  in  the 
scene  with  the  wicked  fay.  An  impassioned  duet  fol- 
lows, and  the  work  closes  with  the  animated  waltz-chorus 
which  opened  the  first  scene. 

RUTH 

"  Ruth,"  a  dramatic  oratorio,  words  by  Joseph  Bennett, 
was  first  given  at  the  Worcester  (England)  Festival  of  1887. 
Part  I  opens  before  the  house  of  Naomi  in  Moab  with  the 
appearance  of  a  Hebrew  caravan  on  its  way  to  the  land  of 
Israel,  the  march  indicated  by  a  measured  movement  ac- 
companying the  chorus  ("  Lord,  Thou  hast  been  our 
dwelling  place  ").  After  a  brief  dialogue  between  Naomi 


FREDERIC  H.  Cow  EN 


COWEN  139 

and  the  Elder,  the  caravan  resumes  its  way.  A  dialogue 
between  Naomi  and  Orpah  is  introduced  with  the  gently 
flowing  melody  ("Like  as  a  father")  after  which  Ruth 
takes  part  in  it  in  a  strong  and  yet  tender  air  ("  Be  of 
good  comfort ").  The  scene  closes  with  a  beautifully 
harmonized  chorus  of  neighbors  ("  Blessed  shall  thou 
be  ").  The  second  scene  opens  on  the  road  to  the  land 
of  Israel  with  an  orchestral  introduction  descriptive  of  the 
joy  and  brightness  of  the  morning,  leading  up  to  the  vig- 
orous unison  chorus  ("Then  shall  we  see  His  glory") 
followed  by  a  dialogue  between  Naomi  and  her  daughters. 
The  striking  feature  of  this  scene  is  Ruth's  beautiful  air 
("Intreat  me  not  to  leave  thee"),  the  melody  of  which 
clearly  expresses  her  faith  and  constancy.  The  scene 
closes  with  an  elaborate  chorus  of  the  Hebrews  ("  Arise, 
let  us  go  to  our  own  people  "). 

The  third  scene  opens  in  the  harvest  field  at  Bethlehem 
with  the  reaper's  solo  ("  Fear  not "),  accompanied  by  re- 
sponses  from  the  reapers  and  gleaners.  Boaz,  at  the  close 
of  the  ensemble,  greets  his  servants,  and  a  graceful  duet 
follows  for  him  and  Ruth,  the  subject  of  which  ("  Let  me 
find  favor")  is  introduced  by  the  latter.  The  harvest 
music  closes  the  scene  in  the  field  and  on  their  way 
homeward  the  reapers  sing  a  chorus  of  rest  ("  Man  goeth 
forth  ")  which  is  answered  by  the  gleaners  with  phrases 
from  the  harvest  chorus.  At  the  close  a  dialogue  follows 
between  Ruth  and  Naomi,  with  Ruth's  "  Intreaty  "  for  its 
principal  theme,  set  off  in  most  effective  combination  by 
phrases  from  the  reapers'  and  gleaners'  choruses  heard 
in  the  distance. 

Part  II  opens  with  a  characteristic  orchestral  introduc- 
tion ("  Thanksgiving  at  harvest  time "),  followed  by  a 
vigorous  air  for  Boaz  ("  How  excellent  is  thy  loving  kind- 
ness"). After  a  short  solo  by  the  Elder,  the  dance  of 
gleaners,  accompanied  by  the  chorus  of  reapers,  begins, 


i4o     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

the  effect  being  peculiarly  graceful ;  and  this  is  followed  by 
a  dance  of  reapers,  accompanied  by  chorus  of  gleaners, 
based  upon  a  Hebrew  theme,  the  two  dances  interweaving 
at  the  close  and  the  ensemble  ending  with  a  masterly 
chorale  combination.  Then  follows  a  powerful  unison  in 
which  the  story  of  the  famine  through  which  they  have 
passed  is  told,  leading  up  to  a  massive  and  imposing 
thanksgiving  chorale  ("We  will  praise  Thee,  O  God"). 
As  it  comes  to  a  close  the  dance  theme  disappears  and  a 
beautiful  duet  follows  between  Ruth  and  Boaz,  preluding 
the  marriage  declaration. 

The  Finale  is  almost  entirely  choral,  beginning  with  the 
chorus  ("The  Lord  bless  you  "),  combined  with  solos  of 
Naomi,  Ruth,  and  Boaz,  and  closing  with  an  impressive 
climax  upon  the  words,  "  Sing,  O  ye  heavens  ! " 

SYMPHONY  No.  3,  IN  C  MINOR  (SCANDINAVIAN) 

1.  ALLEGRO  MODERATO  MA  CON  MOTO. 

2.  MOLTO  ADAGIO. 

3.  SCHERZO.     MOLTO  VIVACE  QUASI  PRESTO. 

4.  FINALE.     ALLKGRO   MA   NON   TROPPO.     ALLEGRO     MOLTO 

VIVACE. 

Cowen's  symphony  in  C  minor,  better  known  as  the 
Scandinavian  Symphony,  was  first  performed  in  London, 
December  18,  1880,  and  since  that  time  has  made  the 
tour  of  the  musical  world  in  England,  Germany,  and  the 
United  States,  and  been  received  with  a  cordial  welcome. 
It  is  a  charming  example  of  programme-music  in  a  roman- 
tic form,  and,  as  its  name  suggests,  seeks  to  convey  im- 
pressions of  the  Northland.  The  opening  movement, 
Allegro  moderato  ma  con  moto,  is  sombre  and  almost 
melancholy  in  character,  and  delineates  the  natural  emo- 
tions inspired  by  the  forests  and  mountains  of  Scandi- 
navia. It  begins  with  a  quiet  and  serious  theme  for 
clarinets  and  bassoons  alone,  to  which  the  violins  reply 


COWEN  141 

without  changing  its  general  character,  leading  up  after  a 
repeat  to  the  full  orchestral  effect,  in  which,  excepting 
horns  and  trumpets,  the  instruments  are  in  unison.  After 
a  short  development  of  this  theme,  the  second  is  given 
out  by  the  violins,  repeated  by  the  'cellos,  and  then  taken 
by  'cellos  and  first  violins.  This  theme  is  local  in  its 
color  and  in  strong  contrast  with  the  first,  —  the  one 
sombre,  the  other  cheerful.  After  the  repetitions  the 
subjects  are  worked  up  in  the  orthodox  manner,  the  gen- 
eral character  of  the  music  alternating  between  energy 
and  quiet ;  but  the  first  theme  ultimately  asserts  itself  with 
great  power  and  dominates  the  close  of  the  movement. 

The  second  movement,  Molto  adagio,  is  poetical  in  its 
sentiment.  It  is  entitled  "  Summer  night  at  the  fjord," 
and  is  intended  to  represent  the  impressions  of  one  stand- 
ing by  the  water  in  the  moonlight,  looking  out  on  the  one 
hand  at  the  shimmering  waves,  and  on  the  other  at  the 
darkling  mountains.  The  northern  color  is  even  stronger 
in  the  Adagio  than  in  the  opening  movement.  It  opens 
with  a  short  passage  for  the  strings,  which  alternates  be- 
tween them  and  the  wood  winds  and  is  charmingly  treated. 
As  it  comes  to  a  close  an  unexpected  but  delightful  inter- 
mezzo occurs,  —  an  Allegretto,  representing  a  party  of 
pleasure-seekers  sailing  along  the  other  shore,  whose  song 
comes  across  the  water  to  the  listener  and  disturbs  his 
meditations.  The  song  is  given  out  by  the  horn  quartette 
with  harp  accompaniment,  and  diminishes  as  the  boat  sails 
along  in  the  darkness,  finally  dying  away  into  the  stillness 
of  the  night.  Once  more  the  flute  and  oboes,  followed 
by  the  violins,  take  up  the  principal  theme  of  the  Adagio, 
and  the  development  proceeds  to  the  end,  interrupted  for 
a  few  measures  only  by  the  horn  theme,  which  is  again 
heard  in  the  distance  through  the  dreamy  visions  of  the 
fjord.  The  movement  as  a  whole  is  charming  for  its 
poetical  ideas  and  tender,  romantic  effect. 


142     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

The  Scherzo,  Molto  vivace  quasi  presto,  presents  a  third 
picture  entirely  different  from  its  predecessors  in  color  and 
outlines.  From  the  moonlight  night  on  the  fjord  we  are 
transported  at  once  into  the  heart  of  a  northern  Winter, 
and  enjoy  a  sleigh-ride.  The  opening  theme,  introduced 
by  the  strings,  and  its  treatment  are  full  of  the  freedom 
and  exhilaration  of  the  drive,  and  ingeniously  reproduce 
the  motion  of  the  horses,  while  the  triangle's  clang  supplies 
the  jingle  of  the  bells.  The  Scherzo  is  in  conventional 
form,  and  has  a  pretty  trio  and  coda  reuniting  the  themes 
of  each. 

The  final  movement,  Allegro  ma  non  troppo,  leading  to 
Allegro  molto  vivace,  is  constructed  upon  a  larger  and 
more  energetic  plan  than  any  of  the  others,  and  has  the 
genuine  northern  sturdiness  and  rugged  force.  It  enters 
with  its  main  subject  in  unison,  which  increases  in  vigor 
with  the  Allegro  molto  vivace.  The  second  theme  is  in- 
troduced by  the  violins,  followed  by  the  basses,  and  after 
its  working  up  the  first  part  of  the  movement  closes  with 
the  repetition  of  the  opening  theme.  From  this  point  on 
the  movement  is  in  the  nature  of  a  fantasie,  which  is  de- 
voted not  alone  to  the  first  theme,  but  includes  in  its 
scheme  the  second  motive  of  the  first  Allegro,  the  open- 
ing bars  of  its  first  theme,  and  the  principal  theme  of  the 
Adagio.  The  entire  close,  however,  is  dominated  by  the 
strong  theme  which  opened  the  movement,  and  is  treated 
in  a  highly  skilful  manner. 


DVORAK 

1841  -1904 

THE  SPECTRE'S  BRIDE 

THE  legend  of  the  Spectre's  Bride  is  current  in  various 
forms  among  all  the  Slavonic  nations,  but  the  outlines 
of  the  story  are  the  same.  The  Spectre  comes  for  his  Bride, 
and  she  rides  away  with  him  through  the  night,  amid  all 
manner  of  supernatural  horrors,  only  to  find  at  the  end 
that  she  has  ridden  to  the  grave  with  a  skeleton.  The 
Bohemian  poem  used  by  Dvorak  is  that  of  Karel  Jaromir 
Erben.  In  his  version,  unlike  the  German,  the  Spectre 
and  his  Bride  make  their  grewsome  journey  on  foot.  The 
denouement  in  the  churchyard  differs  also,  as  the  maiden 
is  saved  by  an  appeal  to  the  Virgin. 

In  the  opening  scene  she  is  represented  gazing  at  a 
picture  of  the  Virgin,  mourning  the  death  of  her  parents 
and  the  absence  of  her  lover,  who  has  failed  to  keep  his 
promise  to  return.  As  she  appeals  to  the  Virgin  to  bring 
him  back,  the  picture  moves,  the  flame  of  the  lamp  up- 
leaps,  there  is  an  ominous  knock  at  the  door,  and  the 
voice  of  the  apparition  is  heard  urging  her  to  cease  pray- 
ing and  follow  him  to  his  home.  She  implores  him  to 
wait  until  the  night  is  past,  but  the  importunate  Spectre 
bids  her  go  with  him,  and  she  consents.  On  they  speed 
over  rough  bowlders,  through  thorny  brakes  and  swamps, 
attended  by  the  baying  of  wolves,  the  screeching  of  owls, 
the  croaking  of  frogs,  and  the  fitful  glow  of  corpse-candles. 
One  by  one  he  compels  her  to  throw  away  her  prayer- 
book,  chaplet,  and  cross,  and  resists  all  her  appeals  to 


144     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

stop  and  rest,  until  they  reach  the  churchyard  wall.  He 
calms  her  fears  with  the  assurance  that  the  church  is  his 
castle  and  the  yard  his  garden,  and  bids  her  leap  the  wall 
with  him.  She  promises  to  follow  him,  but  after  he  has 
cleared  it,  sudden  fear  seizes  her ;  she  flies  to  a  tiny  house 
near  by  and  enters.  A  ghastly  scene  takes  place  ;  spec- 
tres are  dancing  before  the  door,  and  the  moonlight  re- 
veals to  her  a  corpse  lying  upon  a  plank.  As  she  gazes, 
horror-stricken,  a  knock  is  heard,  and  a  voice  bids  the 
dead  arise  and  thrust  the  living  one  out.  Thrice  the 
summons  is  repeated,  and  then  as  the  corpse  opens  its 
eyes  and  glares  upon  her,  she  prays  once  more  to  the 
Virgin.  At  this  instant  the  crowing  of  a  cock  is  heard. 
The  dead  man  falls  back,  the  ghastly,  spectral  crew 
disappear,  and  night  gives  way  to  a  peaceful  morning. 
Such  is  the  horrible  story  which  forms  the  theme  of 
Dvorak's  music. 

The  cantata  contains  eighteen  numbers,  each  of  con- 
siderable length,  of  which  eleven  are  descriptive,  the  bary- 
tone, with  chorus  response,  acting  the  part  of  the  narrator, 
and  accompanied  by  instrumentation  which  vividly  paints 
the  horrors  of  the  nocturnal  tramp,  even  to  the  realistic 
extent  of  imitating  the  various  sounds  described.  It  is 
unnecessary  to  specify  each  of  these  numbers  in  detail,  as 
they  are  all  closely  allied  in  color  and  general  effect.  The 
music  which  accompanies  them  is  picturesque  and  weird, 
increasing  in  its  power  and  actual  supernaturalism  until  it 
reaches  its  climax  in  the  dead-house  where  the  maiden 
takes  refuge :  and  in  these  numbers  the  orchestra  bears 
the  burden  of  the  work.  The  remaining  numbers  are 
almost  magical  in  their  beauty  and  fascination,  particularly 
the  first  song  of  the  maiden,  lamenting  her  lover,  and 
closing  with  the  prayer  to  the  Virgin,  which  is  thoroughly 
devotional  music,  and  the  second  prayer,  which  saves  her 
from  her  peril.  There  are  four  duets,  soprano  and  tenor, 


DVORAK  145 

between  the  Bride  and  Spectre,  and  one  with  chorus,  in 
which  are  recounted  the  episodes  of  the  chaplet,  prayer- 
book,  and  cross,  besides  the  hurried  dialogue  between 
them  as  he  urges  her  on.  These,  too,  abound  in  quaint 
rhythms  and  strange  harmonies  set  against  a  highly  colored 
instrumental  background.  The  story  is  not  a  pleasant  one 
for  musical  treatment,  —  at  least  for  voices,  —  and  the 
prevailing  tone  of  the  composition  is  sombre ;  but  of  the 
strange  fascination  of  the  music  there  can  be  no  doubt. 

THE  STABAT  MATER 

Dvorak's  "  Stabat  Mater  "was  composed  in  1875.  It 
was  sent  to  the  Austrian  Minister  of  Instruction,  but  was 
not  deemed  worthy  of  the  grant  of  two  hundred  dollars 
which  the  composer  had  expected.  Its  merit  was  subse- 
quently recognized  by  Brahms  and  Joachim,  and  the  latter 
secured  a  hearing  of  it  in  London  in  1883.  It  immedi- 
ately made  its  composer  famous. 

The  "  Stabat  Mater  "  is  written  for  soli,  chorus,  and  or- 
chestra, and  comprises  ten  numbers.  The  first  is  the  quar- 
tette and  chorus  ("Stabat  Mater  dolorosa"),  and  carries 
the  old  Latin  hymn  as  far  as  the  "  Quis  est  homo."  After 
an  orchestral  introduction  which  gives  out  the  principal 
motives  on  which  the  number  is  based,  the  vocal  quartette 
begins.  The  materials  of  which  it  is  composed  are  simple, 
but  they  are  worked  up  with  great  technical  skill.  The 
general  effect  is  tragic  rather  than  pathetic,  as  if  the  com- 
poser were  contemplating  not  so  much  the  grief  of  the 
Virgin  Mother  at  the  foot  of  the  Cross  as  the  awful  nature 
of  the  tragedy  itself  and  its  far-reaching  consequences. 

The  second  number  is  the  quartette  ("  Quis  est  homo  "). 
After  a  short  introduction  the  theme  is  taken  by  the  alto, 
followed  by  the  tenor  and  bass,  and  lastly  by  the  soprano, 
the  general  structure  growing  more  elaborate  at  each  en- 

10 


146     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

trance.  After  the  second  subject  is  introduced  a  strong 
climax  is  reached,  and  in  the  coda  the  voices  whisper  the 
words  "videtsuum"  to  an  accompaniment  of  wind  instru- 
ments in  sustained  and  impressive  chords. 

The  third  number  ("  Eia  Mater  "),  is  built  up  on  an  ex- 
ceedingly brief  motive,  augmented  with  surprising  power 
in  chorale  form.  It  is  a  work  of  scholarly  skill  and  yet  is 
full  of  charm  and  grace,  and  will  always  commend  itself 
even  to  the  untutored  hearer  by  its  tenderness  and  pathetic 
beauty. 

The  fourth  number  ("Fac  ut  ardeat  cor  meum"),  for 
bass  solo  and  chorus,  like  the  third,  is  most  skilfully  con- 
structed out  of  small  materials,  and  is  marked  by  fine 
contrast  between  the  solo  and  the  chorus,  which  at  its  en- 
trance is  assigned  to  the  female  voices  only,  with  organ 
accompaniment. 

The  fifth  number  is  the  chorus  "Tui  nati  vulnerati," 
which  is  remarkable  for  the  smooth  and  flowing  manner  in 
which  its  two  subjects  are  treated. 

The  sixth  number  ("Fac  me  vere  tecum  flere"),  for 
tenor  solo  and  chorus,  is  elaborate  in  its  construction.  A 
stately  theme  is  given  out  by  the  tenor,  repeated  in  three- 
part  harmony  by  male  voices,  the  accompaniment  being 
independent  in  form ;  the  subject  then  returns,  first  for 
solo  and  then  for  male  voices,  in  varying  harmonies.  After 
a  brief  vocal  episode  the  subject  reappears  in  still  different 
form,  and,  followed  by  the  episode  worked  up  at  length  in 
a  coda,  brings  the  number  to  its  close. 

The  seventh  number  ("  Virgo,  virgonum  prseclara  "),  for 
full  chorus,  is  marked  by  great  simplicity  and  tenderness,  and 
will  always  be  one  of  the  most  popular  sections  of  the  work. 

The  eighth  number  ("Fac  ut  portem"),  is  a  duet  for 
soprano  and  tenor,  responsive  in  character  and  con- 
structed on  simple  phrases  presented  in  varying  forms 
both  by  the  voices  and  orchestra. 


ANTONIN  DVORAK 


DVORAK  147 

The  ninth  number  ("  Inflammatus  et  accensus  "),  is  one 
of  the  most  masterly  in  the  whole  work.  It  is  an  alto 
solo  composed  of  two  subjects,  the  first  majestic,  and  the 
second  pathetic  in  character,  forming  a  contrast  of  great 
power  and  beauty. 

The  tenth  and  closing  number  ("  Quando  corpus  mori- 
etur "),  for  quartette  and  chorus,  is  constructed  substan- 
tially upon  the  same  themes  which  appeared  in  the  "Stabat 
Mater,"  and  closes  with  an  "  Amen  "  of  a  massive  char- 
acter, exhibiting  astonishing  contrapuntal  skill. 

SAINT  LUDMILA 

"  Saint  Ludmila,"  an  oratorio,  text  by  Jaroslav  Vrchlicky, 
was  first  given  at  the  Leeds  Festival  of  1886.  Part  I 
opens  in  the  courtyard  of  the  castle  of  Melnik,  where  the 
people  are  gathered  around  the  statue  of  the  goddess  Bdba, 
erected  by  Ludmila,  invoking  the  Bohemian  deities.  After 
an  orchestral  passage  signifying  dawn,  the  priests  sing  a 
joyous  chorus  ("  The  night  retires  to  woods  ").  A  short 
tenor  solo  for  a  husbandman  ("  Laughing  springtime  ") 
is  followed  by  a  graceful  chorus  for  female  voices  ("  Blos- 
soms born  of  teeming  springtime "),  which  in  turn  is 
followed  by  a  chant  ("  Breaking  day  and  dusky  night ") 
and  an  impressive  choral  invocation  of  the  deities  ("Tri- 
glav  who  with  threefold  face  "V  Ludmila  enters  with  the 
recitative  ("  How  wildly  beats  my  heart ! ")  invoking  the 
blessing  of  Baba  upon  the  fatherland,  leading  to  a  simple 
but  beautiful  melody  ("I  long  with  childlike  longing"). 
This  is  followed  by  a  chorus  set  to  the  classical  oratorio 
form  ("The  gods  are  ever  near"),  and  this  in  turn  by  a 
graceful,  idyllic  air  for  tenor  ("  Come,  let  us  garlands 
bring ").  The  quiet,  peaceful  nature  of  the  music  now 
changes.  An  agitated  chorus  ensues  ("  Hark  !  what  can 
be  the  noise  ?  ").  Ivan,  the  Christian  teacher,  appears  and 


148     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

in  a  declamatory  solo  of  great  power  appeals  to  the  people 
("  Give  ear,  ye  people,  one  is  our  God  ").  His  appeal  is 
followed  by  another  excited  chorus  describing  his  strange 
appearance  and  his  demolition  of  the  statue.  In  another 
beautiful  melody  ("Oh,  grant  me  in  the  dust  to  fall") 
Ludmila  announces  her  sudden  conversion  and  her  de- 
termination to  follow  Ivan.  The  people  join  in  chorus 
("What  will  befall  us  in  the  time  approaching?")  followed 
by  a  second  chorus  of  despair  ("  Now  all  gives  way  "), 
which  closes  the  first  part  with  a  climax  of  great  power. 

Part  II  opens  with  an  instrumental  introduction  lead- 
ing to  recitative  ("  Within  what  gloomy  depths  of  for- 
est") for  Svatava,  who  is  following  her  mistress  in  quest 
of  Ivan.  A  duet  between  them  follows  as  they  approach 
a  cavern's  entrance,  from  which  Ivan  issues  with  the  air, 
"  It  was  no  mistake."  A  duet  follows  in  which  Ludmila 
announces  her  determination  to  embrace  Christianity. 
As  Svatava  joins  in  a  similar  declaration  there  is  a  sudden 
change  from  religious  exaltation  to  hunting  music.  A 
chorus  of  hunters  ("  Gayly  thro'  forest")  is  heard.  It 
increases  in  energy  as  they  approach  and  serves  to  intro- 
duce Prince  Borivoj,  who  narrates  the  miracle  of  the 
healing  of  the  wounded  hind  by  Ivan,  and  then  as  he 
looks  upon  Ludmila,  declares  his  sudden  love  for  her. 
Ivan,  in  impressive  recitative  ("To  souls  in  error  bring  I 
knowledge  "),  declares  his  mission,  and  the  hunters  recog- 
nize Ludmila.  Borivoj  declares  his  passion  for  her  and 
also  would  fain  hear  of  the  new  faith.  He  announces  his 
conversion  in  an  impassioned  melody  ("  Oh,  guide  me  in 
the  way  !  ")  and  offers  himself  to  Ludmila,  who  in  graceful, 
tender  recitative  replies  ("  To  thee  the  pleasure  of  the 
chase  belongs").  Ivan's  appeal  to  her  to  give  the  Prince 
her  hand  is  followed  by  a  quartette  and  chorus  ("  I  long 
indeed  to  see  the  light "),  which  brings  the  second  part  to 
a  close. 


DVORAK  149 

Part  III  opens  in  the  cathedral  of  Velehrad  where 
Ludmila  and  Bofivoj  are  baptized.  It  is  an  ensemble  of 
religious  exaltation,  introduced  with  the  stately  chorus 
("Mighty  Lord,  to  us  be  gracious").  Ivan  summons 
the  pair  with  the  recitative  ("  Come  hither,  ye  whom  I 
have  taught "),  and  Ludmila  and  Bofivoj  sing  their  ex- 
ultant baptismal  duet  ("That  hour  I  long  for").  The 
ceremony  is  followed  by  an  orchestral  introduction  open- 
ing with  trumpet  fanfares,  and  leading  to  solos  by  Ivan 
and  Svatava  with  choral  sequences,  the  final  "  Alleluia " 
("  Mighty  Lord,  to  us  be  gracious ")  being  worked  up 
contrapuntally  to  a  climax  of  tremendous  power  and 
impressiveness. 

SYMPHONY  No.  2,  D  MINOR.     OP.  70 

1.  ALLEGRO  MAESTOSO.  3.    SCHERZO. 

2.  POCO   ADAGIO.  4.      FINALE. 

Dvorak's  Second  symphony  was  first  performed  in  1885. 
The  first  movement  opens  with  the  leading  theme,  instead 
of  the  usual  introduction,  given  out  by  the  violas  and 
'cellos  and  repeated  by  the  clarinets  with  tremolo  string 
accompaniment.  After  an  ingenious  development,  fol- 
lowed by  a  powerful  climax,  the  second  theme  is  stated  by 
the  wood  winds  softly  accompanied  by  the  strings.  After 
the  usual  development  and  a  pianissimo  close,  the  first  and 
second  themes  are  treated  in  a  graceful  and  skilful  man- 
ner, the  movement  closing  pianissimo  after  a  brilliant  and 
resonant  coda. 

The  second  movement,  Poco  adagio,  opens  with  a 
stately  melody  given  out  by  the  wood  winds,  with  pizzicato 
string  accompaniment,  followed  by  another  melody  for 
first  violins  and  'cellos  with  a  background  of  wood  winds 
and  trombones,  producing  a  fascinating  effect.  The  third 
theme  is  assigned  to  the  horns,  and  is  followed  by  a  fourth, 


150     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

at  first  for  clarinet  and  horn  and  then  for  flute  and  bas- 
soon, the  movement  closing  with  the  development  of  these 
themes.  Dvorak,  who  is  always  remarkable  for  the  expres- 
siveness of  his  melodies,  has  rarely  written  anything  more 
beautiful  and  effective  than  this  Adagio. 

The  third  and  fourth  movements  carry  out  the  spirit  of 
the  work.  The  Scherzo  is  full  of  life  and  movement,  and, 
though  written  in  the  usual  form,  is  unique  and  original  in 
its  materials  and  most  elaborately  ingenious  in  treatment. 
The  Finale  is  virile  and  resonant  and  its  principal  themes 
very  expressive,  bringing  this  fine  work,  considered  by  some 
as  Dvorak's  best  symphony,  to  a  well  rounded  close. 

SYMPHONY  No.  3,  IN  D  MAJOR.     OP.  60 

1.  ALLEGRO  NON  TANTO.     3.    SCHERZO  (FURIANT). 

2.  ADAGIO.  4.    FINALE.    ALLEGRO  CON  SPIRITO. 

Dvorak's  Third  symphony  was  written  in  1884,  and  was 
also  his  first  published  work.  Notwithstanding  its  essentially 
Slavic  character  the  regular  symphonic  form  is  not  modified 
in  any  particular.  Instruments  are  sometimes  employed 
in  very  peculiar  and  unique  ways,  and  the  modulations  are 
often  striking  and  unusual ;  but  the  adaptability  of  the 
symphonic  form  as  originated  by  Haydn  and  developed 
by  Mozart  and  Beethoven  is  clearly  shown  in  this  work  of 
Dvorak's. 

The  first  movement,  Allegro  non  tanto,  contains  a  rich 
display  of  musical  ideas  in  its  group  of  themes.  The  pre- 
lude to  the  opening  theme  is  divided  between  the  wind 
instruments,  basses,  and  bassoons,  and  after  four  bars  the 
subject  is  reached  ;  but  the  key  soon  changes  and  a  vigor- 
ous interruption  occurs,  after  which  the  theme  returns  in 
the  original  time  with  a  brilliant  forte  passage  for  the 
brasses.  Its  stay  is  transient,  however,  and  the  interrup- 
tion occurs,  vivacious  in  its  character,  which  leads  up  to 


DVORAK  151 

the  introduction  to  the  second  theme,  —  a  thoroughly 
unique  melody  given  out  by  the  'cellos  and  horns,  with  a 
picturesque  string  accompaniment.  A  duet  for  oboe  and 
bassoon  follows,  with  a  melodious  figure  in  accompaniment 
for  the  second  violins  and  violas,  and  a  long  sustained  tone 
by  the  first  violins.  The  theme  is  then  repeated  by  full 
orchestra,  after  which  all  the  ideas  of  the  movement,  of 
which  there  are  no  less  than  six  distinct  ones,  are  worked 
out  in  the  orthodox  form. 

The  second  movement,  Adagio,  is  rich  in  color,  though 
gentle  and  dreamy  in  its  sentiment.  After  a  short  prelude, 
as  in  the  first  movement,  the  first  theme  is  given  out  by 
the  strings  with  accompaniment  by  the  wind  instruments. 
After  a  short  episode  we  reach  the  second  part  of  the 
theme,  taken  by  the  flutes,  with  a  refrain  by  the  oboes,  — 
one  of  the  tenderest  and  most  fascinating  songs  imaginable. 
The  key  then  changes,  and  another  short  episode  brings 
us  back  to  the  original  key  and  principal  subject.  Another 
episode,  developed  from  the  materials  of  this  theme,  occurs 
and  is  followed  by  the  coda,  in  which  there  is  a  character- 
istic 'cello  solo. 

The  third  movement,  Scherzo,  gives  a  national  character 
to  the  whole  symphony.  It  is  marked  "  Furiant,"  and  is 
in  form  and  substance  almost  identical  with  the  Slavonic 
dances,  so  many  of  which  Dvorak  has  arranged.  Its  open- 
ing theme  is  fresh,  piquant,  and  spirited,  and  is  repeated 
over  and  over  to  a  wild  and  furious  accompaniment,  punc- 
tuated and  emphasized  with  all  the  strange  accents  and 
unusual  rhythms  that  characterize  the  Bohemian  and  Hun- 
garian music.  The  excitement  reaches  its  climax  in  the 
trio,  in  which  the  flutes  and  strings,  pizzicato,  carry  the 
melody,  and  the  piccolo  gives  it  the  genuine  Slavic  color. 
The  second  theme  of  the  trio  is  broader  and  more  digni- 
fied in  style,  and  at  its  close  the  Scherzo  is  repeated  and 
ends  this  stirring  movement. 


152     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

The  last  movement,  Allegro  con  spirito,  is  made  up  of 
simple  Bohemian  melodies,  treated  in  the  most  vigorous 
style.  The  opening  theme  is  given  out  by  the  strings  and 
clarinets,  and  with  constantly  accelerating  tempo  dashes 
on  with  a  second  theme  for  oboes  and  horns,  which  grows 
fairly  furious  when  taken  by  the  whole  orchestra  and  yet 
shows  humorous  features  in  the  peculiar  entrances  of  the 
horns  and  trombones.  The  coda  opens  with  the  first 
theme  splendidly  set  forth  by  the  horns  and  violas,  and  is 
developed  with  great  skill.  The  movement  comes  to  an 
end  with  a  brilliant  and  vigorous  presto. 


SYMPHONY  No.  5   ["  FROM  THE  NEW  WORLD  "]  IN 
E  MINOR.      OP.  95 

Dvorak's  Fifth  symphony  is  one  of  peculiar  interest,  not 
only  because  of  its  intrinsic  beauties  and  excellencies,  but 
also  because  it  is  in  one  sense  a  tribute  to  America, 
where  he  resided  for  a  short  time  and  gave  musical  instruc- 
tion, and  a  utilizing  of  negro  melodies  in  the  thematic 
treatment.  After  an  expressive  introduction,  the  first 
theme  is  given  out  by  the  horns  and  shortly  the  New  World 
character  of  the  work  is  illustrated  by  a  rollicking  passage 
for  flutes  and  oboes,  followed  by  a  theme  for  flute  with 
subdued  string  accompaniment,  which  every  one  will 
recognize  as  borrowed  from  the  negro  jubilee  melody, 
"  Swing  low,  sweet  chariot."  The  remainder  of  the 
movement  is  devoted  to  a  conventional  but  most  unique 
and  complicated  working  up  of  these  simple  thematic 
materials. 

After  a  short  introduction  for  wood  winds  and  brasses  a 
most  bewitching  melody  is  given  to  the  English  horn  in 
the  second  movement  accompanied  by  muted  strings.  Its 
loveliness  and  pathos  can  hardly  be  overstated.  It  so 
lends  itself  to  vocal  treatment  that  it  is  a  wonder  some 


DVORAK  153 

one  has  not  adapted  it  to  concert  purposes.  After  a  repeti- 
tion of  much  of  the  introduction  the  beautiful  melody  returns 
and  is  soon  followed  by  a  more  resonant  theme  for  flutes 
and  oboes.  This  in  turn  is  succeeded  by  some  compli- 
cated development  leading  up  to  the  conclusion,  the 
"  swan  song  "  of  which  is  the  beautiful  melody  already  re- 
ferred to,  which  seems  even  more  beautiful  in  its  new 
setting. 

The  Scherzo  is  in  the  usual  form,  and  besides  its  own 
themes  contains  reminiscences  of  the  first  movement.  The 
last  movement  not  only  deals  with  its  own  materials  but 
those  of  all  the  other  movements,  including  the  beautiful 
horn  theme  of  the  second,  and  closes  a  symphony  which, 
if  not  as  orthodox  as  some  of  its  predecessors,  is  yet  full 
of  beauty  and  deservedly  a  favorite. 


ELGAR 

1857- 

THE  LIGHT  OF  LIFE 

"  '  I'^HE  Light  of  Life,"  sometimes  called  a  cantata, 
JL  but  by  the  composer  himself  a  short  oratorio,  the 
text  by  Rev.  E.  Capel-Cure,  Vicar  of  Bradninch,  Devon, 
England,  was  first  performed  at  the  Worcester  (England) 
Musical  Festival,  September,  1896.  The  libretto  has  for 
its  theme  the  miracle  of  the  man  who  was  born  blind. 
The  solo  parts  are  assigned  as  follows  :  soprano,  mother 
of  the  blind  man;  contralto,  narrator;  tenor,  the  blind 
man  ;  barytone,  the  Master. 

The  work  opens  with  a  meditation  for  orchestra,  which 
is  distinctly  melodious  —  a  characteristic  not  always  found 
in  Sir  Edward  Elgar's  oratorios,  for  all  of  them  are  con- 
structed by  working  up  thematic  material,  so  much  in  the 
Wagner  manner  that  they  might  aptly  be  called  sacred 
music  dramas.  The  first  vocal  number  is  a  male  chorus 
("  Seek  Him  ")  sung  by  the  Levites  in  the  Temple  courts, 
leading  to  a  short  tenor  solo  ("O  Thou,  in  heaven's 
dome")  in  which  the  blind  man  prays  for  light.  No.  3 
is  a  short  recitative  for  the  narrator,  leading  to  a  chorus  of 
the  Disciples  ("Who  did  sin?").  In  No.  4,  an  expres- 
sive soprano  solo  ("  Be  not  extreme  "),  the  mother  of  the 
blind  man  declares  that  her  son  has  not  been  punished  for 
the  sins  of  others.  This  is  followed  by  recitative  ("  Neither 
hath  this  man  sinned  ")  sung  by  the  Master  and  leading 
to  a  massive  but  simple  chorus,  at  times  melodious,  and 
again  harmonious  ("  Light  out  of  darkness  ").  When  this 


ELGAR  155 

is  closed,  the  story  is  resumed.  The  eyes  of  the  blind 
man  are  anointed  and  he  is  told  to  wash  in  the  Pool  of 
Siloam.  No.  8  ("  Doubt  not  thy  Father's  care  ")  is  a  very 
expressive  chorus  for  sopranos  and  altos,  followed  by  an 
ensemble,  No.  9,  of  extraordinary  instrumental  effective- 
ness, in  which  the  blind  man  is  questioned  by  his  neigh- 
bors as  to  the  miracle.  It  is  unusually  strong  and  dramatic, 
working  up  through  a  fughetta  to  an  eight-part  climax.  In 
No.  10  ("As  a  spirit  didst  Thou  pass")  the  blind  man 
tells  his  story,  which  is  followed  by  a  vigorous  choral  dia- 
logue between  the  Pharisees,  some  condemning  and  some 
defending  the  man.  No.  12  ("Thou  only  hast  the  words 
of  life  ")  is  an  arietta  for  narrator.  In  No.  13  a  new 
dramatic  situation  is  brought  out  effectively  by  the  orchestra 
in  which  the  doubting  Jews  question  the  mother  and  the 
blind  man.  A  beautiful  solo  and  chorus  by  women  ("  Woe 
to  the  shepherds  of  the  flock ")  follows,  leading  to  a 
dialogue  between  the  Master  and  the  man  He  had  healed, 
which  closes  with  the  most  effective  vocal  number  in  the 
work  —  a  solo  for  the  Master  ("  I  am  the  good  shep- 
herd ").  The  chorus  ("  Light  of  the  world  "),  a  brief  but 
triumphant  expression  of  faith,  closes  the  oratorio.  It  is 
evident  in  this,  as  in  all  his  oratorios,  that  the  composer's 
sympathies  are  with  the  orchestra,  for  the  most  beautiful 
passages  are  given  to  it  and  the  chief  interest  lies  in  the 
instrumentation. 

THE  DREAM  OF  GERONTIUS 

"The  Dream  of  Gerontius,"  poem  by  Cardinal  New- 
man and  set  to  music  for  mezzo  soprano,  tenor,  and  bass 
solos,  chorus  and  orchestra,  was  first  performed  at  the  Bir- 
mingham (England)  Festival  of  1900.  The  theme  of  the 
poem  is  the  dream  of  the  dying  Gerontius  of  his  soul's 
passage  to  the  unseen  world,  its  reception  by  the  angels, 


156     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

and  the  mysteries  of  that  world.  The  music  is  scored  for 
an  unusually  large  orchestra,  including  besides  the  ordi- 
nary instruments,  the  double  bassoon,  organ,  gong,  schellen, 
glockenspiel,  and  triangle.  Owing  to  its  peculiar  con- 
struction the  string  section  is  divided  into  fifteen,  eighteen, 
and  sometimes  twenty  parts. 

The  score  is  built  up  in  the  Wagnerian  manner  so 
closely  that  it  contains  no  suggestions  of  the  classical  ora- 
torio form.  The  orchestral  prelude  gives  out  no  less  than 
ten  themes,  which  hold  an  important  place  in  the  body  of 
the  work  and  which  must  be  kept  in  mind  in  order  to  form 
an  intelligent  idea  of  its  meaning.  The  first  tenor  solo 
for  Gerontius  ("Jesu,  Maria,  I  am  near  to  death")  fol- 
lows the  prelude  without  break  and  this  in  turn  is  followed 
by  a  semi-chorus  of  devotional  kind  ("  Kyrie  Eleison"). 
A  brief  tenor  solo  ("  Rouse  thee,  my  fainting  soul ")  is 
succeeded  by  a  second  semi-chorus  ("Be  merciful"), 
very  tender  and  sweet  in  character.  A  longer  solo  for 
tenor  ("Sanctus  fortis")  ensues,  full  of  deep  feeling  and 
followed  by  a  powerful  interlude  by  orchestra.  The  voice, 
that  of  Gerontius,  again  comes  in  with  a  melancholy  strain 
("I  can  no  more  ")  developing  into  an  expression  of  hor- 
ror and  dismay  as  in  his  disordered  imagination  he  fancies 
himself  pursued  by  fiends,  the  accompaniment  being  of  a 
demoniac  nature.  A  short  chorus  by  the  priestly  assist- 
ants follows  ("  Rescue  him,  O  Lord  !  ").  As  their  prayer 
with  its  harmonious  Amens  dies  away,  Gerontius  sings  his 
dying  song  ("Novissima  hora  est"),  and  the  jubilant 
massive  chorus  ("  Go  forth  upon  thy  journey  ")  closes  the 
first  part  of  the  oratorio. 

The  second  part  opens  with  an  orchestral  prelude  sig- 
nificant of  the  soul's  passage  and  its  rest,  leading  to  a 
dreamy  poetical  solo  by  the  soul  ("  I  went  to  sleep,  and 
now  I  am  refreshed  "),  followed  by  a  beautiful  solo  for  the 
Angel,  designated  as  the  "Alleluia"  ("My  work  is  done, 


SIR  EDWARD  ELGAR 


ELGAR  157 

my  task  is  o'er").  A  dialogue  ensues  between  the  Angel 
and  the  soul  and  this  is  followed  by  a  powerful  scene,  both 
vocal  and  instrumental,  representing  the  flight  of  the  Angel 
with  the  soul  through  troops  of  raging  demons  whose  howls 
gradually  die  away  as  the  Angel  nears  the  throne  of  God. 
Another  dialogue  follows  between  the  soul  and  the  Angel  to 
which  succeeds  the  chorus  of  the  Angelicals,  which  is  so 
divided  as  to  produce  a  most  impressive  effect.  A  third 
dialogue  ensues,  begun  by  the  Angel  ("  We  now  have 
passed  the  gate  ")  and  followed  by  the  chorus  ("  Glory 
to  Him").  After  alternating  passages  for  the  soul  and 
the  chorus  the  Angelicals  unite  in  a  mighty  song  ("  Praise 
to  the  Holiest  in  the  height").  As  the  song  dies  away 
the  soul  hears  the  voices  of  men  left  on  earth,  and  as  the 
Angel  explains  the  sounds  a  powerful  bass  solo  by  the 
Angel  of  Agony  intervenes  ("Jesu!  by  that  shuddering 
dread").  At  its  close  the  Angel  repeats  his  "Alleluia," 
and  amid  the  choruses  of  souls  in  purgatory  and  Angeli- 
cals the  Finale  begins  with  one  of  the  most  beautiful  num- 
bers in  the  work,  the  Angel's  solo  ("  Softly  and  gently, 
dearly  ransomed  soul  "),  and  closes  with  the  softly  dimin- 
ishing chorus  of  the  Angelicals  ("  Praise  to  the  Holiest  "). 

THE  APOSTLES 

"  The  Apostles  "  was  first  performed  at  the  Birmingham 
(England)  Festival  of  1903.  In  a  note  appended  to  the 
score  Elgar  says  that  "The  Apostles,"  Parts  I  and  II,  is 
part  of  a  scheme  for  an  oratorio  setting  forth  the  calling  of 
the  Apostles,  their  teaching,  and  the  establishment  of  the 
Church  among  the  Gentiles.  Parts  III  and  IV  are  known 
as  "The  Kingdom."  For  each  of  these  works  Elgar 
himself  has  supplied  the  words. 

"The  Apostles,"  like  "The  Dream  of  Gerontius,"  is  con- 
structed upon  a  series  of  motives,  though  upon  a  much 


158     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

more  extensive  scale,  as  it  embodies  no  less  than  eighty 
distinct  themes  which  are  so  closely  interwoven  that  it  is 
not  always  easy  to  make  the  description  thoroughly  clear 
without  the  use  of  notation.  The  orchestra  is  unusually 
large,  like  that  employed  in  "The  Dream  of  Gerontius," 
and  includes  a  shofar,  or  ancient  Hebrew  trumpet.  The 
characters  are  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  the  Angel,  soprano ; 
Mary  Magdalene,  alto ;  Saint  John,  tenor,  who  is  also  the 
Narrator ;  Jesus,  Saint  Peter,  and  Judas,  bassos. 

The  orchestral  prelude  is  an  epitome  of  the  whole  ora- 
torio. The  choral  part  is  majestic  in  character,  and  the 
instrumental  accompaniment  gives  out  the  typical  themes. 
The  first  scene  is  the  calling  of  the  Apostles,  following 
Jesus'  night  of  prayer  on  the  mountain,  and  introduces 
angelic  voices  declaring  hope  for  the  world,  with  gentle 
pastoral  accompaniment.  This  leads  to  "The  Dawn" 
and  the  chorus  of  the  watchers  on  the  temple  roof  ("  It 
shines  "),  followed  by  the  chorus  within  the  temple  ("  It 
is  a  good  thing  to  give  thanks ")  accompanied  by  the 
shofar  and  orchestra  sounding  the  calls  which  are  so  fa- 
miliar to  the  Jewish  synagogue.  The  song  of  the  watchers 
is  also  based  upon  an  old  Hebrew  melody.  The  scene 
concludes  with  the  calling  of  the  Apostles,  introduced  with 
the  recitative  ("And  when  it  was  day"),  leading  into  an 
ensemble  of  Apostles'  themes  most  elaborately  constructed 
and  producing  a  very  impressive  effect. 

The  second  scene  is  "  By  the  Wayside,"  in  which  the 
Beatitudes  are  expressed  with  the  simplicity  and  impres- 
siveness  befitting  their  character.  The  third  scene,  "  By 
the  Sea  of  Galilee,"  introduces  Mary  Magdalene  in  the 
most  powerful  and  descriptive  passage  of  the  whole  work 
("  O  Lord  Almighty,  God  of  Israel ").  She  gives  voice 
to  her  grief  and  anguish  in  most  dramatic  measures.  Then 
follows  a  bright,  tripping  choral  fantasy  describing  her  past 
life ;  and  lastly  she  sees  the  storm  and  the  stilling  of  the 


ELGAR  159 

sea  from  the  tower  of  Magdala  and  describes  it  to  a  char- 
acteristic storm  accompaniment.  In  a  later  passage  her 
conversion  is  announced,  and  a  solo  quartette  and  chorus 
("  Turn  you  to  the  stronghold ")  with  an  independent 
accompaniment  bring  Part  I  to  a  close. 

Part  II  deals  principally  with  Christ's  Passion,  and  opens 
with  a  solemn  instrumental  prelude.  The  betrayal  scene 
is  developed  at  considerable  length,  the  most  beautiful 
feature  of  it  being  the  choral  passage  ("And  the  Lord 
turned  and  looked  upon  Peter  and  he  went  out  and  wept 
bitterly ").  Judas'  remorse  is  impressively  described  in 
the  soliloquy  ("  Our  life  is  short  and  tedious  "),  changing 
to  a  wailing  farewell  to  life  as  he  hears  the  shouts  of  the 
rabble  ("Crucify  him").  In  the  crucifixion  scene  ("Gol- 
gotha ")  the  tragedy  is  only  briefly  but  solemnly  indicated 
in  the  instrumentation  which  gives  expression  to  the  cry 
"Eli,  Eli,  lama  sabachthani,"  the  only  vocal  part  being 
a  short  dialogue  between  Mary  and  John.  The  sixth  scene, 
"At  the  Sepulchre,"  is  in  striking  contrast  with  the  last. 
The  music  describes  the  early  morning.  The  song  of  the 
watchers  is  heard  again  and  the  first  jubilant  Alleluia  of 
the  angels  ("  Why  seek  ye  the  living  among  the  dead  ?  "). 
"The  Ascension"  closes  the  oratorio.  It  is  given  to  a 
semi-chorus  of  female  voices  to  whom  the  mystic  chorus  is 
assigned;  a  chorus  of  female  voices  in  four  parts;  four 
soloists ;  a  chorus  of  male  voices  and  orchestra  and  organ, 
all  uniting  at  the  end  in  a  mighty  "  Alleluia."  The  motive 
of  this  first  section  of  "The  Apostles"  is  expressed  in 
these  lines  from  Morris'  "Earthly  Paradise,"  which  the 
composer  has  placed  upon  the  last  page  of  the  score  :  — 

"To  what  a  heaven  the  earth  might  grow 
If  fear  beneath  the  earth  were  laid, 
If  hope  failed  not,  nor  love  decayed." 


160     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 


THE  KINGDOM 

"The  Kingdom,"  which  was  written  for  the  Birming- 
ham Festival  of  1906,  is  a  continuation  of  the  composer's 
scheme  as  first  displayed  in  "The  Apostles."  In  his 
preface  to  the  latter  the  composer  says :  — 

"  It  has  long  been  my  wish  to  compose  an  oratorio  which 
should  embody  the  calling  of  the  Apostles,  their  teaching 
(schooling),  and  their  mission,  culminating  in  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Church  among  the  Gentiles.  The  present  work 
carries  out  the  first  portion  of  the  scheme;  the  second  portion 
remains  for  production  on  some  future  occasion." 

As  far  as  the  scheme  has  progressed,  "  The  Apostles," 
Parts  I  and  II,  is  the  first  oratorio;  "The  Kingdom," 
the  second ;  and  the  third,  dealing  with  the  work  of  the 
Apostles  in  the  Church  of  the  Gentiles,  when  written,  will 
complete  the  trilogy.  There  are  four  solo  parts  in  "The 
Kingdom  "  —  the  Virgin  Mary,  soprano ;  Mary  Magda- 
lene, alto ;  Saint  John,  tenor ;  and  Saint  Peter,  bass.  The 
chorus  alternately  fills  the  part  of  the  disciples,  the  holy 
women,  and  the  people.  In  one  passage  there  is  also  a 
mystic  chorus. 

As  in  "  The  Dream  of  Gerontius  "  and  "  The  Apostles," 
the  composer  has  constructed  this  work  upon  typical  themes 
in  the  Wagnerian  manner.  There  are  seventy-eight  of 
them  in  its  contents,  some  of  them  from  "  The  Apostles  " 
appearing  with  the  rest  in  the  prelude  called  "  Jerusalem." 
The  first  division  of  the  work  is  called  "In  the  Upper 
Room,"  and  follows  the  prelude  without  break.  It  opens 
with  a  quartette  and  chorus  ("  Seek  first  the  kingdom 
of  God  ")  in  which  the  disciples  call  upon  their  followers 
to  seek  the  kingdom  of  God  and  His  righteousness.  The 
Eucharist  service  is  held,  Peter  leading  in  the  ceremo- 
nial of  breaking  the  bread,  in  which  appears  a  beautiful 


ELGAR  161 

antiphonal  melody  ("  O  sacrum  convivium  "),  followed  by 
an  outburst  of  praise  and  an  elaborate  Amen.  In  a  sec- 
ond section  lots  are  cast  for  a  successor  to  Judas.  There 
is  a  chorus  of  disciples  pronouncing  execration  upon  his 
memory  ("Let  his  habitation  be  desolate"),  and  after 
this  a  solo  quartette  in  which  the  chorus  eventually  joins, 
declaring  that  the  lot  has  fallen  upon  Saint  Matthias. 

The  second  division  shows  the  two  Marys  at  "  The  Beau- 
tiful Gate."  It  is  a  short,  graceful  idyllic  scene  in  which 
only  the  two  participate.  Their  duet  ("The  singers  are 
before  the  altar")  is  made  all  the  more  impressive  by 
some  of  the  motives  from  "The  Apostles,"  notably  the 
melody  sung  by  the  watchers  on  the  roof.  The  third 
division,  "  Pentecost,"  with  its  subdivision,  "  In  Solomon's 
Porch,"  is  the  longest  and  most  elaborate  section  of  the 
work.  The  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  symbolizing 
of  "  tongues  parting  asunder  like  as  of  fire  "  are  brought 
out  powerfully  by  the  use  of  the  mystic  soprano  and 
contralto  chorus  and  the  descriptiveness  of  the  thrilling 
and  picturesque  accompaniment  heightened  by  the  organ. 
In  the  scene  "In  Solomon's  Porch,"  where  the  people 
express  their  surprise  at  the  Galileans  speaking  in  other 
tongues,  the  composer  displays  an  extraordinary  control  of 
technique  in  expressing  the  situation.  Peter's  address 
("  Ye  men  of  Judaea  "),  a  most  noble  declamation,  follows, 
succeeded  by  an  invocation  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  which 
makes  an  impressive  climax  to  the  scene. 

The  fourth  division,  "The  Sign  of  Healing,"  includes 
"  At  the  Beautiful  Gate,"  and  "  The  Arrest."  The  music 
of  the  first  section,  describing  the  healing  of  the  lame  man 
at  the  gate  and  Peter  and  John's  appeal  to  the  people,  is 
of  a  quiet,  peaceful  nature  but  changes  in  "  The  Arrest " 
scene  where  the  disciples  are  apprehended  because  they 
proclaimed  in  Jesus  the  resurrection  from  the  dead. 
Mary's  soliloquy  ("The  sun  goeth  down"),  in  which  twa 


162     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

Hebrew  hymns  are  utilized,  is  the  feature  of  this  scene ; 
though  first  expressed  in  a  calm,  tranquil  manner,  with 
subdued  accompaniment,  it  reaches  an  impassioned  climax 
in  the  Finale. 

The  fifth  division,  "  The  Upper  Room,"  closes  the 
oratorio.  It  opens  with  an  expression  of  joy  by  the  dis- 
ciples and  holy  women  ("The  voice  of  joy  is  in  the 
dwelling  of  the  righteous "),  leading  to  the  scene  of 
"The  Breaking  of  Bread,"  which  is  simple,  yet  very  ex- 
pressive. After  its  climax  the  voices  softly  declaim  the 
Lord's  Prayer,  closing  upon  "  For  ever  and  ever,  Amen  "  in 
a  powerful  climax.  A  chorus  of  a  solemn  nature  ("  Thou, 
O  Lord,  art  our  Father")  brings  the  oratorio  to  its  close. 


ARTHUR  FOOTE 


FOOTE 

1853- 

HlAWATHA 

"  >  I  ^HE  Farewell  of  Hiawatha,"  for  barytone  solo,  male 
A  voices,  and  orchestra,  modestly  styled  by  its  com- 
poser a  ballad,  is  a  cantata  in  its  lighter  form.  Its  subject  is 
taken  from  Longfellow's  familiar  poem,  and  includes  the 
beautiful  close  of  the  legend  beginning  "  From  his  place 
rose  Hiawatha."  The  composer  has  made  use  of  the  re- 
mainder of  the  poem  without  change,  except  in  repetitions 
demanded  by  musical  necessity. 

A  short  orchestral  introduction,  Andante  con  moto,  fol- 
lowed by  a  chorus  of  tenors  and  basses  in  a  few  bars,  reci- 
tative in  form,  and  sung  pianissimo,  leads  to  a  barytone  solo 
for  Hiawatha  of  a  tender  character  ("  I  am  going,  O  Noko- 
mis  ").  A  graceful  phrase  for  the  violoncello  introduces 
another  choral  morceau  relating  Hiawatha's  farewell  to  the 
warriors  ("  I  am  going,  O  my  people  "),  a  melodious  com- 
bination of  sweetness  and  strength,  though  it  only  rises  to  a 
display  of  energy  in  the  single  phrase,  "  The  Master  of  Life 
has  sent  them,"  after  which  it  closes  quietly  and  tenderly, 
in  keeping  with  the  sentiment  of  the  text.  The  remainder 
of  the  work  is  choral.  The  westward  sail  of  Hiawatha  into 
"  the  fiery  sunset,"  the  "  purple  vapors,"  and  "  the  dusk 
of  evening  "  is  set  to  a  very  picturesque  accompaniment, 
which  dies  away  in  soft  strains  as  he  disappears  in  the  dis- 
tance. An  allegro  movement  with  a  crescendo  of  great 
energy  introduces  the  farewell  of  "  the  forests  dark  and 


1 64     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

lonely,"  moving  "  through  all  their  depths  of  darkness," 
of  the  waves  "  rippling  on  the  pebbles,"  and  of  "  the 
heron,  the  Shuh-shuh-gah,  from  her  haunts  among  the  fen- 
lands."  The  last  division  of  the  chorus  is  an  Allegro, 
beginning  pianissimo  and  closing  with  an  exultant  out- 
burst ("  Thus  departed  Hiawatha  "). 


FRANCE 

1822- 1890 

THE  BEATITUDES 

"  >  I  ^HE  Beatitudes,"  written  in  1870  and  published  in 
JL  1880,  the  text,  a  poetical  paraphrase  of  the  Gospel, 
by  Lady  Colomb,  is  divided  into  nine  parts,  —  a  prologue 
and  eight  beatitudes.  The  prologue,  an  impressive  number, 
is  set  for  tenor  solo  ("  Dark  brooded  fear  over  the  land  "), 
and  celestial  chorus  ("  Oh,  blessed  be  He ! ")  with 
orchestra. 

First  Beatitude 

"  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit:  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven" 

The  first  beatitude  opens  with  a  passionate  and  ener- 
getic terrestrial  chorus  ("All  the  wealth  of  the  earth"). 
The  celestial  chorus  softly  responds  ("  When  our  hearts 
are  oppressed  ").  The  voice  of  Christ  is  now  heard  in 
a  song  ("  Blessed  be  ")  of  exquisite  tenderness  and  beauty, 
which  is  taken  up  by  the  celestial  chorus  with  a  rich 
accompaniment,  and  closes  the  beatitude. 

Second  Beatitude 
"  Blessed  are  the  meek :  for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth" 

The  second  beatitude,  introduced  by  the  oboe  with  a 
tremolo  accompaniment  of  the  strings,  opens  with  the 
terrestrial  chorus  ("The  earth  is  dark"),  followed  by  the 


i66     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

celestial  chorus  ("  Poor  human  souls  ").  The  voice  of 
Christ  closes  the  number  with  the  tender  strain  ("  Oh, 
blessed  are  the  meek"). 

Third  Beatitude 

"  Blessed  are  they  that  mourn  :  for  they  shall  be  com- 
forted." 

The  third  beatitude  opens  with  the  strongest  chorus  in 
the  work  ("Grief  over  all  creatures").  It  is  followed  by 
a  mother's  lament  over  the  empty  cradle ;  the  wail  of  the 
orphan  over  its  wretched  state ;  the  sorrow  of  husband 
and  wife  over  separation ;  and  the  slave's  prayer  for  lib- 
erty. As  the  different  voices  unite  in  a  farewell,  the 
gentle  voice  of  Christ  is  heard  again  ("  Blessed  are  the 
mourners  "),  followed  by  an  inspiriting  celestial  chorus 
("Oh,  blessed  forever  "). 

Fourth  Beatitude 

"Blessed  are  they  which  do  hunger  and  thirst  after 
righteousness  :  for  they  shall  be  filled" 

After  an  impressive  and  mystical  prelude  the  fourth  beati- 
tude is  introduced  by  a  dramatic  tenor  solo  ("  Where'er 
we  stray,  stern  fate  enthralls  us"),  and  concludes  with 
another  of  the  gentle  melodies  of  the  Christ  voice  ("  Oh, 
happy  he"). 

Fifth  Beatitude 
"  Blessed  are  the  merciful :  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy" 

A  beautiful  string  quartette  opens  the  fifth  beatitude, 
followed  by  an  expressive  tenor  solo  ("  Like  beaten  corn 
sheaves  ").  In  almost  furious  accord  rises  the  appeal  of 
the  slaves  ("  King  all  glorious  "),  ever  increasing  in  power 


FRANCK  167 

and  rising  to  a  tremendous  climax.  The  remainder  of  the 
beatitude  is  in  striking  contrast.  First  is  heard  the  voice 
of  Christ  ("Vengeance  belongeth"),  followed  by  the 
celestial  chorus  for  sopranos  and  tenors  in  unison  ("  Ever 
blessed  are  they  "),  which  is  one  of  the  sweetest  passages 
in  the  work.  This  in  turn  is  followed  by  the  song  of  the 
Angel  of  Forgiveness  ("  Holy  love,  sweet  pardon  "),  a 
repetition  of  the  celestial  chorus  closing  the  number. 

Sixth  Beatitude 
"  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart :  for  they  shall  see  God." 

After  a  short  prelude,  which  is  scored  with  masterly 
skill,  follows  a  chorus  of  heathen  women  ("  The  gods, 
from  us  their  faces  turning  ")  succeeded  by  a  chorus  of 
Jewish  women  ("Thou,  who  once  to  our  sires  ap- 
peared "),  the  two  afterwards  uniting  in  a  mass  chorus  of 
great  beauty.  Four  Pharisees,  after  brief  solos,  unite  in  a 
descriptive  quartette  ("  Great  God  !  from  early  youth"). 
Then  follows  an  impressive  song  by  the  Angel  of  Death 
("I  gather  in  each  soul  immortal").  The  celestial 
chorus  responds  gently  ("Earthly  knowledge").  The 
voice  of  Christ  intervenes  ("Oh,  blest  are  the  pure") 
and  the  chorus  closes  ("Then  purge  from  your  hearts"). 

Seventh  Beatitude 

"  Blessed  are  the  peacemakers  :  for  they  shall  be  called  the 
children  of  God." 

The  seventh  is  one  of  the  most  dramatic  sections  of  the 
work.  It  opens  with  a  bitter  and  vehemently  declamatory 
air  by  Satan  ("  Tis  I  whose  baneful  spell  ").  The  effect 
grows  more  and  more  passionate  and  furious  as  one  after 
the  other  choruses  of  tyrants,  pagan  priests,  and  the  multi- 
tude, enter.  To  them  succeeds  the  tender  voice  of  Christ 


i68     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

("  Blessed  are  they")  followed  by  a  remorseful  wail  from 
Satan  ("  Ah  !  that  voice  ")  and  the  famous  quintet  of  the 
peacemakers  ("  Evil  cannot  stay  "). 

Eighth  Beatitude 

"Blessed  are  they  which  are  persecuted  for  righteousness1 
sake :  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven" 

The  last  beatitude  opens  with  another  vehement  out- 
burst from  Satan  ("  Not  yet  defeated  ")  followed  by  the 
chorus  of  the  just  ("  Hear  us,  Justice  Eternal ").  Satan 
once  more  breaks  out  in  angry  denunciation  ("  Insen- 
sates  !  this  wild  delusion  ")  and  gives  place  to  the  Mater 
Dolorosa,  heard  in  the  majestic  song  ("  Stricken  with  sor- 
row ").  Satan  recognizes  his  fate  in  another  remorseful 
song  ("  Mine  the  doom  she  hath  spoken").  The  tender 
strains  of  the  Christ  voice  ("  O  ye  righteous  !  ")  are  heard. 
Satan  in  a  brief  passage  owns  His  power.  The  voice  of 
Christ  is  heard  for  the  last  time  gently  calling  ("  Oh, 
come,  ye  of  my  Father  beloved  "),  and  the  celestial  chorus 
brings  the  work  to  a  close  with  a  grand  hosanna. 

SYMPHONY  IN  D  MINOR 

1.  LENTO.  ALLEGRO  NON  TROPPO. 

2.  ALLEGRETTO. 

3.  ALLEGRO  NON  TROPPO. 

The  symphony  in  D  Minor,  which  was  first  performed 
at  the  Paris  Conservatoire,  February  17,  1889,  has  been 
furnished  with  an  analysis  by  the  composer  himself.  It 
opens  with  a  slow  and  sombre  introduction,  the  principal 
motive  of  which  is  developed  through  thirty  measures  and 
leads  to  the  Allegro,  or  first  movement  proper,  which  is 
energetic  in  style.  After  a  reentrance  of  the  motive  of 
the  Lento  and  the  development  of  that  of  the  Allegro,  the 


C£SAR    AUGUSTE   pRANCK 


FRANCK  169 

second  theme  appears,  and  this  in  turn  is  followed  by  a 
third,  which  is  highly  developed.  A  return  is  made  to 
the  first  theme  which  is  given  out  fortissimo.  The  theme 
of  the  movement  proper  is  resumed,  leading  to  the  con- 
clusion of  this  division  of  the  symphony. 

The  second  movement  opens  with  pizzicato  chords  for 
string  orchestra  and  harp,  followed  by  a  sweet  and  mel- 
ancholy theme  given  out  by  the  English  horn.  This 
section  of  the  movement  is  closed  by  clarinet,  horn,  and 
flute,  after  which  the  violins  announce  a  second  theme. 
At  the  conclusion  of  its  development,  the  English  horn  and 
the  various  wind  instruments  take  up  fragments  of  the 
first  motive,  after  which  follows  a  Scherzo  division.  At 
the  close  of  this  sprightly  Scherzo,  the  entire  opening 
period,  as  announced  by  the  English  horn,  is  combined 
with  the  theme  of  the  Scherzo,  the  latter  being  assigned 
to  the  violins. 

The  third  movement  opens  brilliantly  in  contrast  with 
the  sombreness  of  the  two  previous  ones,  the  development 
of  its  principal  motive  leading  up  to  a  phrase  announced  by 
the  basses  alternating  with  the  strings.  The  opening  theme 
of  the  second  movement  reappears,  and  the  remainder  of 
the  work  is  devoted  to  the  development  of  the  themes  of 
the  Finale. 

LES  BOLIDES 

In  the  symphonic  poem,  "Les  Eolides,"  the  first  of 
Franck's  works  of  this  class,  Leconte  de  Lisle's  poem  of 
that  name  is  used  as  the  subject.  It  was  played  for  the 
first  time  at  a  concert  of  the  Paris  Soci6t6  Nationale,  May 
13,  1877,  and  was  hissed.  Seventeen  years  later  it  had 
another  hearing  and  was  received  with  enthusiasm.  The 
work  is  written  in  a  single  movement,  Allegretto  vivo. 
The  music  tells  its  own  story.  It  is  purely  unconventional, 


iyo     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

the  composer  letting  his  fancy  run  untrammelled  after  the 
opening  motive,  which  gives  expression  to  the  first  lines 
of  the  poem  :  "  Oh,  floating  breezes  of  the  skies,  sweet 
breaths  of  the  fair  Spring,  that  caress  the  hills  and  plains 
with  freakish  kisses."  The  sentiment  of  the  poem  is  ad- 
mirably pictured  in  this  graceful  and  picturesque  music. 
No  detailed  analysis  is  needed  to  convey  the  meaning  of 
the  work  to  the  hearer. 


GADE 

1817-1890 

COMALA 

"  /"^OMALA,"  one  of  the  earliest  of  Cade's  larger  vocal 
\^/  works,  was  first  produced  at  Leipsic  in  March,  1843. 
Its  subject  is  taken  from  Ossian,  and  relates  the  tragedy  of 
"  Comala,"  daughter  of  Sarno,  King  of  Innistore,  who  had 
conceived  a  violent  passion  for  Fingal,  King  of  Morven. 
Her  love  is  returned  by  the  warrior,  and,  disguised  as  a 
youth,  the  princess  follows  him  on  his  expedition  against 
Caracul,  King  of  Lochlin.  On  the  day  of  the  battle  Fin- 
gal  places  her  on  a  height,  near  the  shore  of  the  Carun, 
whence  she  can  overlook  the  fight,  and  promises  her  if 
victorious  that  he  will  return  at  evening.  Comala,  though 
filled  with  strange  forebodings,  hopefully  waits  her  royal 
lover's  coming.  As  the  tedious  hours  pass  by  a  fearful 
storm  arises,  and  amid  the  howling  of  the  blast  the  spirits 
of  the  fathers  sweep  by  her  on  their  way  to  the  battlefield 
to  conduct  to  their  home  the  souls  of  the  fallen,  —  the 
same  majestic  idea  which  Wagner  uses  in  his  weird  ride  of 
the  Valkyries.  Comala  imagines  that  the  battle  has  been 
lost,  and,  overcome  with  grief,  falls  to  the  ground  and  dies. 
The  victorious  Fingal  returns  as  evening  approaches,  ac- 
companied by  the  songs  of  his  triumphant  warriors,  only 
to  hear  the  tidings  of  Comala's  death  from  her  weeping 
maidens.  Sorrowing  he  orders  the  bards  to  chant  her 
praises,  and,  joining  with  her  attendants,  to  waft  her  depart- 
ing soul  "  to  the  fathers'  dwelling  "  with  farewell  hymns. 


STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

The  cantata  is  almost  equally  divided  between  male  and 
female  choruses,  and  these  are  the  charm  of  the  work. 
Many  of  the  songs  of  Comala  and  her  maids  are  in  grace- 
ful ballad  form,  fresh  in  their  melody,  and  marked  by  that 
peculiar  refinement  which  characterizes  all  of  Cade's 
music.  The  parting  duet  between  Fingal  and  Comala  is 
very  beautiful,  but  the  principal  interest  centres  in  the 
choruses.  Those  of  the  bards  and  warriors  are  stately  in 
style  and  abound  in  dramatic  power,  particularly  the  one 
accompanying  the  triumphal  return  of  Fingal.  The  chorus 
of  spirits  is  extremely  impressive,  and  in  some  passages 
almost  supernatural.  The  female  choruses,  on  the  other 
hand,  are  graceful,  tender,  and  pathetic;  the  final  full 
chorus,  in  which  the  bards  and  maidens  commend  the  soul 
of  Comala  to  "  the  fathers'  dwelling,"  has  rarely  been  sur- 
passed in  beauty  or  pathos.  The  music  of  the  cantata  is 
in  keeping  with  the  stately  grandeur  and  richly  hued  tones 
of  the  Ossianic  poem.  The  poetry  and  music  of  the  North 
are  happily  wedded. 

SPRING  FANTASIE 

Though  the  "  Spring  Fantasie  "  is  in  undoubted  cantata 
form,  Cade  designates  it  as  a  "  Concertstiick  "  ;  that  is,  a 
musical  composition  in  which  the  instrumental  parts  are 
essential  to  its  complete  unity.  The  instrumental  elements 
of  the  "  Spring  Fantasie  "  are  unquestionably  the  most 
prominent.  They  do  not  play  the  subordinate  part  of  ac- 
companiment, but  really  enunciate  the  ideas  of  the  poem, 
which  are  still  further  illustrated  by  the  voices  acting  as 
the  interpreters  of  the  meaning  of  the  instrumentation. 

The  "Fantasie  "  was  written  in  1850,  its  subject  being 
a  poem  by  Edmund  Lobedanz,  which  of  itself  might 
appropriately  be  called  a  fantasy.  The  work  consists 
of  four  movements,  for  four  solo  voices,  orchestra,  and 


GADE  173 

pianoforte.  The  prominence  which  Gade  has  given  to 
the  instrumental  parts  is  shown  by  his  characterizing  the 
movements,  —  I,  Allegro  moderate  e  sostenuto ;  II,  Allegro 
molto  e  con  fuoco ;  III,  Allegro  vivace. 

The  first  movement  is  in  the  nature  of  an  invocation  to 
Spring,  in  which  the  longing  for  May  and  its  flowers  is 
tenderly  expressed.  The  second  movement  depicts  with 
great  vigor  the  return  of  the  wintry  storms,  the  raging  of 
the  torrents,  the  gradual  rolling  away  of  the  clouds,  the 
approach  of  more  genial  breezes,  and  the  rising  of  the  star, 
typifying  "  the  joy  of  a  fair  maiden's  love."  The  closing 
movement  is  full  of  rejoicing  that  the  Spring  has  come 
Voices  and  instruments  share  alike  in  the  jubilation. 

THE  ERL  KING'S  DAUGHTER 

"The  Erl  King's  Daughter"  was  written  in  1852.  Its 
story  differs  from  that  told  in  Goethe's  famous  poem,  and 
set  to  music  equally  famous  by  Schubert  in  his  familiar 
song.  In  Goethe's  poem  the  father  rides  through  the 
night  clasping  his  boy  and  followed  by  the  Erl  King  and 
his  daughters,  who  entice  the  child  unseen  by  the  parent. 
The  boy  at  first  is  charmed  with  the  apparition,  but  cries 
in  mortal  terror  as  the  Erl  King  seizes  him,  while  the 
father  gallops  at  last  into  the  courtyard,  only  to  find  his 
child  dead  in  his  arms. 

In  the  poem  used  by  Gade  it  is  the  Erl  King's  daughter 
who  tempts  a  knight  to  his  death.  The  prologue  relates 
that  Sir  Oluf  at  eve  stayed  his  steed  and  rested  beneath 
the  alders  by  the  brook,  where  he  was  visited  by  two  of  the 
daughters,  one  of  whom  caressed  him  while  the  other  in- 
vited him  to  join  their  revels.  At  sound  of  the  cock-crow, 
however,  they  disappeared.  It  was  the  eve  of  Sir  Olufs 
wedding  day.  He  arrives  at  home  in  a  distraught  condi- 
tion, and  in  spite  of  his  mother's  appeals  decides  to  return 


174     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

to  the  alder  grove  in  quest  of  the  beauties  who  had  be- 
witched him.  He  finds  the  alder-maids  dancing  in  the 
moonlight,  singing  and  beckoning  him  to  join  them.  One 
of  the  fairest  tempts  him  with  a  silken  gown  for  the  bride 
and  silver  armor  for  himself.  When  he  refuses  to  dance 
with  her,  she  seizes  him  by  the  arm  and  predicts  his  death 
on  the  morrow  morning.  "  Ride  home  to  your  bride  in 
robe  of  red,"  she  cries  as  he  hastens  away.  In  the 
morning  the  mother  anxiously  waits  his  coming,  and  at 
last  beholds  him  riding  desperately  through  "  the  waving 
corn."  He  has  lost  his  shield  and  helmet,  and  blood 
drips  from  his  stirrups.  As  he  draws  rein  at  the  door  of 
the  castle  he  drops  dead  from  his  saddle.  A  brief  epilogue 
points  the  moral  of  the  story  in  quaint  fashion.  It  is  to 
the  effect  that  knights  who  will  on  horseback  ride  should 
not  like  Oluf  stay  in  elfin  groves  with  elfin  maidens  till 
morning.  It  is  unnecessary  to  specify  the  numbers  in 
detail,  as  with  the  exception  of  the  melodramatic  finale, 
where  the  music  becomes  quite  vigorous,  it  is  all  of  the 
same  graceful,  flowing,  melodic  character,  and  needs  no 
key  to  explain  it  to  the  hearer. 

THE  CRUSADERS 

"  The  Crusaders  "  is  one  of  the  most  powerful  as  well  as 
beautiful  of  modern  cantatas.  It  was  written  for  perform- 
ance in  Copenhagen  in  1866,  and  ten  years  later  was  pro- 
duced at  the  Birmingham  Festival,  under  the  composer's 
direction.  It  is  divided  into  three  parts,  and  tells  the 
story  of  the  temptation  of  Rinaldo  d'Este,  the  bravest  of 
the  Crusaders,  by  Armida  and  her  sirens,  who  at  last  call 
upon  the  Queen  of  Spirits  to  aid  them  in  their  hopeless 
task ;  the  thwarting  of  the  powers  of  evil ;  and  the  final 
triumph  before  Jerusalem. 

The   first   part   opens  with   a   chorus  of  pilgrims  and 


NIELS  WILHELM  GADE 


GADE  175 

women  in  the  band  of  the  Crusaders,  expressive  of  the 
weariness  and  sufferings  they  have  endured  in  their  long 
wanderings,  the  end  of  which  still  appears  so  far  away.  As 
the  beautiful  music  dies  away,  the  inspiring  summons  of 
Peter  the  Hermit  is  heard,  leading  up  to  the  Crusaders' 
song,  —  a  vigorous,  warlike  melody,  full  of  manly  hope  and 
religious  fervor.  An  evening  prayer  of  pious  longing  and 
exalted  devotion  closes  this  part. 

The  second  part  is  entitled  "Armida,"  and  introduces 
the  evil  genius  of  the  scene.  A  strange,  mysterious  or- 
chestral prelude  indicates  the  baneful  magic  of  the  sor- 
cerer's wiles.  In  a  remarkably  expressive  aria,  Armida 
deplores  her  weakness  in  trying  to  overcome  the  power  of 
the  cross.  As  she  sees  Rinaldo,  who  has  left  his  tent  to 
wander  for  a  time  in  the  night  air,  she  calls  to  the  spirits 
to  obey  her  incantation  ("  Cause  a  palace  grand  to  rise  "). 
After  another  invocation  of  the  spirits  the  sirens  appear, 
singing  a  sensuous  melody  ("I  dip  my  white  breast  in  the 
soft-flowing  tide").  Then  begins  the  temptation  of  the 
wandering  knight.  He  starts  in  surprise  as  he  hears 
the  voices  rising  from  the  waves,  and  again  they  chant 
their  alluring  song.  They  are  followed  by  Armida,  who 
appeals  to  him  in  a  seductive  strain  ("  O  Rinaldo,  come 
to  never-ending  bliss").  The  knight  joins  with  her  in 
a  duet  of  melodious  beauty.  He  is  about  to  yield  to 
the  temptation,  when  he  hears  in  the  distance  the  tones  of 
the  Crusaders'  song.  He  wavers  in  his  resolution,  Armida 
and  the  sirens  appeal  to  him  again,  and  again  he  turns 
as  if  he  would  follow  them.  The  Crusaders'  song  grows 
louder,  and  rouses  the  knight  from  the  spell  which  has 
been  cast  about  him,  and  the  scene  closes  with  a  beau- 
tifully concerted  number  in  which  Rinaldo,  Armida,  the 
chorus  of  Crusaders  and  of  sirens  contend  for  the  mastery. 
The  fascination  of  the  Crusaders'  song  is  the  strongest. 
The  cross  triumphs  over  the  sorceress,  and  in  despair 


176     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

she  sings,  "Sink,  scenes  illusive,  deep  in  dark  abyss  of 
doom  ! " 

The  third  part,  entitled  "Jerusalem,"  is  religious  in 
character  and  mostly  choral.  In  rapid  succession  follow 
the  morning  hymn  with  beaUtiful  horn  accompaniment,  the 
march  of  the  Pilgrims  full  of  the  highest  exaltation,  the 
hermit's  revelation  of  the  Holy  City  to  them,  their  joyous 
greeting  to  it,  Rinaldo's  resolution  to  expiate  his  offence 
by  his  valor,  the  hermit's  last  call  to  strife,  their  jubilant 
reply,  and  the  final  victory  ("  As  our  God  wills  it.  Up, 
arouse  thee  !"). 

SYMPHONY   No.  i,  IN  C  MINOR.     OP.  5 

1.  MODERATO  CON  MOTO.    ALLEGRO  ENERGICO. 

2.  SCHERZO.    ALLEGRO  RISOLUTO  QUASI  PRESTO. 

3.  ANDANTINO  GRAZIOSO. 

4.  FINALE.    MOLTO  ALLEGRO  CON  FUOCO. 

Gade's  First  symphony  was  written  for  the  Gewandhaus 
concerts  at  Leipsic  in  1843.  In  this,  as  in  his  other  sym- 
phonies, he  evidently  sympathizes  with  the  school  of  Men- 
delssohn, but  for  all  that  the  work  is  full  of  individuality 
and  originality.  It  is  romantic  in  the  best  sense,  and  reflects 
the  poetical  sentiment  of  the  Sagas.  It  is  also  pervaded 
by  the  influence  of  their  traditions,  as  well  as  by  the  peculiar 
plaintiveness  and  melancholy  of  the  Northern  people. 

The  first  movement  opens  with  an  Introduction,  Mode- 
rato  con  moto,  in  which  a  graceful  melody  with  a  melan- 
choly background,  given  out  by  violas  and  violins,  and  full 
of  the  true  Northern  feeling,  is  skilfully  developed  and 
leads  up  to  the  movement  proper,  Allegro  energico,  with  a 
brilliant  passage  for  horns  and  trumpets,  the  strings  being 
used  with  antiphonal  effect.  The  second  subject,  which 
has  already  been  observed  in  the  Introduction,  Mode- 
rato,  is  announced  in  the  heroic  manner,  after  which  the 
first  is  skilfully  developed.  The  clarinets  and  bassoons 


GADE  177 

now  give  out  a  new  motive,  also  evolved  from  the  Intro- 
duction, which,  frequently  repeated  with  sudden  key 
changes,  is  ultimately  taken  by  full  orchestra,  and  leads 
back  to  the  theme  and  time  of  the  Moderate,  now  pre- 
sented with  increased  energy  and  power,  the  brass  instru- 
ments carrying  the  melody,  and  the  strings  furnishing  a 
characteristic  accompaniment.  Thus  the  development 
goes  on  in  orthodox  form  to  the  end. 

The  Scherzo  is  the  most  fanciful  and  graceful  movement 
of  the  four.  It  is  rhythmic  throughout,  and  its  first  theme 
is  reached  by  a  fine  crescendo.  This  theme,  with  its  itera- 
tions, dominates  the  movement,  for  the  second  is  used  in 
a  subordinate  way.  The  Trio  is  made  up  of  scanty  mate- 
rials, but  they  are  developed  with  great  skill  and  always 
with  a  lightsome,  fantastic  effect.  Though  Gade  was  not 
a  plagiarist  in  any  sense,  it  is  impossible  to  listen  to  this 
Scherzo  without  being  reminded  of  Mendelssohn's  "  A 
Midsummer  Night's  Dream,"  for  the  same  spirit  animates 
both. 

The  third  movement,  Andantino  grazioso,  is  more  serious 
in  character,  though  graceful  and  fanciful  in  its  develop- 
ment. The  opening  theme  is  given  out  by  the  oboes,  with 
accompaniment  of  violas,  'cellos,  and  double-basses.  After 
its  announcement  it  is  taken  by  the  first  violins  and  clari- 
nets ;  but  shortly  the  flute  announces  a  new  subject,  and 
then  the  oboe  resumes  with  a  portion  of  the  first,  but  with 
brighter  and  clearer  effect.  The  remainder  of  the  move- 
ment is  constructed  of  a  passage  for  the  horns  and  another 
for  the  'cellos,  worked  up  in  the  usual  form. 

The  last  movement,  Molto  allegro  con  fuoco,  is  a  master- 
piece of  brilliant  effect.  The  drums  give  a  martial  char- 
acter to  the  Introduction,  which  leads  up  to  a  spirited 
theme  given  out  by  the  strings  in  thrilling  style.  A  sub- 
sidiary melody  appears  for  the  wind  instruments  alone. 
Again  the  leading  theme  enters,  leading  forward  the  second 


i78     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

subject,  which  is  now  treated  by  the  oboes,  clarinets,  bas- 
soons, and  'cellos  with  a  broad  and  free  string  accompani- 
ment. In  the  midst  of  this  development  the  heroic  theme 
of  the  introduction  to  the  first  movement,  combined  with 
the  drum  passage  of  the  last,  reappears,  and  the  Finale 
goes  on  to  its  close  with  grand  and  steady  development. 


SYMPHONY  No.  4,  IN  B  FLAT.     OP.  20 

1.  ALLEGRO  VIVACE  E  GRAZIOSO. 

2.  ANDANTE  CON  MOTO. 

3.  SCHERZO.    ALLEGRO  MA  NON  TROPPO  E  TRANQUILLAMENTE. 

4.  ALLEGRO  MOLTO  VIVACE. 

The  fourth  of  the  series  of  Cade's  symphonies,  written 
in  1854,  is  usually  considered  his  broadest  and  most  dig- 
nified work,  though  it  still  preserves  the  Northern  color 
and  sentiment  in  a  large  degree.  It  is  evident,  however, 
that  in  this  symphony,  as  well  as  in  all  its  successors,  the 
composer  has  aimed  to  produce  not  a  Scandinavian  sym- 
phony, but  one  that  should  be  cosmopolitan  and  firmly 
based  upon  the  classic  models. 

The  symphony  opens  with  a  short  and  somewhat  plain- 
tive Introduction,  leading  up  to  the  Allegro,  the  first  theme 
of  which  is  given  out  by  the  violins  and  flutes.  After  brief 
treatment  a  minor  passage  for  the  violins  prepares  the 
way  for  the  second  theme,  first  announced  by  the  'cellos 
and  a  single  horn,  and  then  joined  by  the  bassoons,  the 
flutes,  oboes,  and  clarinets,  having  a  triple  accompaniment. 
The  first  part  of  the  movement  ends  with  the  repetition  of 
the  second  subject.  The  second  part  is  in  the  nature  of 
a  fantasia,  in  which  a  part  of  the  first  theme  and  the  minor 
violin  passage  are  combined  with  the  leading  theme.  The 
various  subjects  then  recur  in  regular  succession,  leading  to 
the  coda,  in  which  the  strings  tremolo  and  the  flutes  and 
reeds  in  sustained  notes  play  an  important  part.  The 


GADE  179 

opening  phrase  is  then  treated,  and  the  movement  comes 
to  an  end  with  great  vivacity. 

The  second  movement,  Andante  con  moto,  is  delightful 
for  the  grace,  richness,  and  tenderness  of  its  harmonized 
effects,  particularly  in  the  opening  subject,  given  out  by 
the  strings,  and  accompanied  by  the  clarinets,  horns,  and 
trombones  in  harmony  of  the  most  plaintive  and  yet  thor- 
oughly musical  expression.  The  second  subject,  announced 
by  the  clarinets,  accompanied  by  the  strings  in  triplets,  is 
equally  beautiful  in  its  effect.  After  it  is  fully  developed, 
the  first  theme  returns  in  the  minor,  charmingly  varied. 
The  violins  and  reeds  repeat  the  second  theme,  and  then 
a  passage  from  the  first  serves  for  the  coda  and  brings  the 
movement  to  a  close. 

The  Scherzo,  like  its  comrade  in  the  First  symphony,  is 
remarkable  for  its  sweetness,  fancy,  and  grace.  The  first 
violins  announce  the  opening  subject,  with  string  accom- 
paniment, through  which  are  heard  the  low,  tender  tones 
of  the  clarinets.  The  movement  has  two  trios,  the  first 
of  which  is  based  upon  a  delightful  folk-melody.  The 
Scherzo  is  then  repeated,  and  an  equally  beautiful  and 
characteristic  melody  introduces  the  second,  which  is  also 
followed  by  a  repetition  of  the  Scherzo,  the  development 
of  which,  in  connection  with  the  melody  of  the  first  trio, 
forms  the  coda. 

The  last  movement  is  full  of  energy  and  spirit.  With- 
out introduction  or  preparation  of  any  kind,  the  flutes  and 
violins  give  out  the  vivacious  first  subject.  After  brief 
treatment  two  more  melodies  are  introduced,  either  of 
which  is  bright  and  broad  enough  to  have  served  for  a 
leading  theme.  They  lead  the  way  to  the  second  subject, 
worked  up  in  the  usual  form,  and  followed  by  the  melo- 
dious procession  of  subjects  leading  to  a  brilliant  coda 
closing  the  symphony. 


GOETZ 

1840-1876 

SYMPHONY  No.  i,  IN  F.     OP.  9 

1.  ALLEGRO  MODERATO. 

2.  INTERMEZZO. 

3.  ADAGIO,  MA  NON  TROPPO  LENTO. 

4.  FINALE. 

THE  Symphony  in  F,  the  only  work  of  this  class  by 
Goetz,  was  written  in  1876.  It  has  enjoyed  great 
popularity  in  Europe,  and  has  also  been  produced  in  Amer- 
ica with  conspicuous  success,  although  the  composer's 
fame  had  not  preceded  him,  except  as  the  author  of  "  The 
Taming  of  the  Shrew."  Its  opening  movement,  Allegro 
moderate,  is  perhaps  the  most  effective,  though  not  the 
most  popular.  Without  introduction  the  horns  give  out 
the  first  subject,  afterward  reenforced  by  the  clarinets,  — 
a  theme  of  romantic  character,  flowing  on  in  a  broad  and 
serious  manner,  with  striking  alternations  of  expression,  as 
the  mood  changes  from  gladness  to  sadness.  The  second 
theme  is  more  cheerful  and  maintains  a  strong,  hopeful, 
and  healthy  feeling  throughout.  It  is  introduced  by  the  flutes 
and  oboes,  and  at  the  close  of  its  treatment  the  opening 
theme  recurs  and  is  finely  developed  until  a  marked  cres- 
cendo at  last  brings  the  movement  to  a  brilliant  conclusion. 
The  second  movement,  Intermezzo,  is  full  of  charming 
effects,  and  will  always  be  a  prime  favorite.  It  is  thor- 
oughly original  in  form  and  treatment,  and  its  contents 
are  bright,  cheerful,  and  joyous.  It  opens  with  an  effec- 
tive theme  for  the  horns,  to  which  the  wood  winds  reply 
with  another  melodious  passage,  which  is  delightful  for  its 


GOETZ  181 

piquant  delicacy  and  beauty,  and  is  subsequently  taken  up 
and  developed  by  the  violins.  A  brilliant  flute  cadence 
leads  into  the  second  part  of  the  movement,  which  is  in- 
troduced by  a  quiet  but  happy  theme  announced  by  the 
flutes  and  afterward  sung  by  the  'cellos,  second  violins,  and 
bassoons.  These  ideas  are  skilfully  developed,  and  after 
a  charming  episode  which  takes  the  place  of  the  trio,  the 
movement  closes  with  an  effect  in  broad,  free  harmony 
which  is  peculiarly  noticeable  for  its  naivete  and  childlike 
serenity. 

The  third  movement,  Adagio,  though  differing  in  form, 
has  a  close  sentimental  connection  with  the  Intermezzo. 
The  'cellos  and  violas  announce  its  opening,  and  are  suc- 
ceeded by  the  wood  winds  in  a  theme  which  is  peculiarly 
happy  in  treatment.  In  the  second  part  of  the  movement 
the  horns,  with  string  accompaniment,  give  out  the  lead- 
ing subject,  which  is  still  further  developed  by  the  wood 
winds.  In  the  close  of  the  movement,  which  is  in  the 
nature  of  a  free  fantasie,  the  strings  are  used  with  telling 
effect,  especially  in  working  up  to  the  climax ;  and  thus 
with  real  power,  sometimes  of  the  most  passionate  descrip- 
tion, the  work  moves  on  to  the  Finale,  the  opening  theme 
of  which  is  given  out  by  the  violins.  This  movement  is 
developed  with  great  vigor,  and  culminates  in  an  expres- 
sion of  pathos  and  passion  which  of  itself  is  a  sufficient 
indication  of  the  success  this  brilliant  composer  might  have 
achieved  as  a  symphony  writer  had  not  death  cut  him 
down  on  the  very  threshold  of  his  career. 


GOLDMARK 

1830- 

LAENDLICHE  HOCHZEIT   (COUNTRY  WEDDING)   SYMPHONY 

1.  MODERATO  MOLTO.     (Wedding  March  with  Variations.) 

2.  ALLEGRETTO.    (Bridal  Song.) 

3.  ALLEGRETTO  MODERATO  SCHERZANDO.     (Serenade.) 

4.  ANDANTE.     (In  the  Garden.) 

5.  FINALE,  ALLEGRO  MOLTO.    (Dance.) 

THE  Country  Wedding  symphony,  written  in  1876, 
was  first  performed  in  that  year  at  Vienna,  where  it 
met  with  a  decided  popular  success.  Since  that  time  it  has 
become  equally  popular  in  England  and  this  country.  Its 
brightness,  freshness,  and  peculiarly  close  interpretation  of 
the  programme  which  it  represents  will  always  make  it  a  fav- 
orite among  concert-goers.  Strictly  speaking  it  is  a  suite 
or  series  of  musical  pictures,  intended  to  illustrate  the  pro- 
gramme contained  in  its  title  ;  and  this  it  does,  not  only  with 
absolute  fidelity,  but  with  genuine  musical  skill  and  happi- 
ness of  expression.  Its  programme  is  a  sketch  of  a  country 
wedding.  The  march  and  procession,  the  nuptial  song, 
which  we  may  imagine  sung  by  the  friends  of  the  happy 
pair,  the  inevitable  serenade,  the  discourse  of  the  lovers 
in  a  garden,  interrupted  by  the  entrance  of  friends  whose 
greetings  lead  up  to  a  genuine  country  dance  in  the  Finale, 
are  the  various  scenes  in  this  series  of  cheerful  pastoral 
pictures. 

The  first  movement  is  a  most  decided  innovation,  and 
at  once  announces  that  the  work  is  not  in  the  usual  sym- 
phonic form.  It  is  a  march  with  thirteen  variations,  in 
which  the  theme  appears  only  in  fragments.  They  are 


KARL  GOLDMARK 


GOLDMARK  183 

scored  in  the  freest  possible  manner,  the  composer  evi- 
dently not  wishing  to  restrict  himself  to  the  march  form. 
The  theme,  which  is  simple  and  yet  quite  impressive,  en- 
ters upon  the  'cellos  and  basses  alone  in  a  quiet  manner, 
and  without  any  of  the  stir  and  brilliancy  which  usually 
characterize  the  march.  Then  follow  the  variations  in 
regular  order.  The  first  horn,  with  an  accompaniment  by 
the  other  horns  and  a  moving  bass  in  the  strings,  followed 
by  a  new  melody  for  clarinets  and  flutes,  takes  the  first 
variation.  The  violins  give  the  second  in  an  animated  man- 
ner, and  the  full  orchestra  sweeps  in  on  the  third  with  the 
utmost  vivacity  and  good  feeling.  The  strings  again  take 
the  fourth,  but  the  mood  changes  to  a  tender  and  expres- 
sive minor.  In  the  fifth  the  theme  returns  to  the  basses,  as- 
sisted by  bassoons  and  horns.  The  sixth  is  also  assigned 
to  the  basses,  the  flutes  and  violins  weaving  a  fanciful  ac- 
companiment around  the  theme.  The  seventh  is  in  the 
minor,  and  is  quaintly  written,  the  utmost  freedom  being 
allowed  to  all  the  instruments.  The  eighth  is  divided  be- 
tween the  first  violins,  flutes,  oboes,  and  clarinets.  In  the 
ninth  the  theme  is  suggested  in  the  bass,  reenforced  by  a 
new  subject  for  flute  and  violin.  In  the  tenth  the  first 
violin  introduces  a  fanciful  figure  with  the  theme  appear- 
ing in  the  basses  and  strings.  The  eleventh,  in  the  minor, 
is  characterized  by  an  entirely  fresh  subject,  assigned  to 
the  violin  and  oboe,  then  to  clarinet  and  violin,  and 
finally  to  the  clarinet.  The  twelfth  introduces  another  new 
theme,  growing  out  of  the  first,  announced  by  the  oboe 
with  bassoon  accompaniment,  the  flutes  and  clarinets 
moving  independently,  and  the  violins  and  violas  enhanc- 
ing the  effect  in  a  quaint  manner.  With  the  thirteenth, 
which  returns  to  the  original  tempo,  the  charming  series 
closes.  Though  treated  freely  and  fancifully,  these  varia- 
tions never  lose  the  "  country  "  spirit  of  the  work. 

The  second  movement,  "Bridal  Song,"  is  a  charming 


1 84     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

melody  in  genuine  aria  form  in  which  the  oboe  is  prom- 
inent, the  subject  of  the  march  being  heard  in  the  basses. 
It  is  short,  but  graceful  and  delicate,  and  admirably  fills 
its  place  in  the  fanciful  scheme  of  the  work. 

The  third  movement,  "  Serenade,"  comes  nearer  to  the 
sonata  form,  and  yet  preserves  the  pastoral  characteristics 
throughout.  The  prelude  is  somewhat  elaborate,  and 
leads  up  to  a  melody  for  the  oboes,  which  is  afterward 
worked  up  by  the  violins  and  other  instruments. 

The  fourth  movement,  "  In  the  Garden,"  is  a  charming 
picture  of  the  lovers  tenderly  conversing  with  each  other 
and  exchanging  vows  of  constancy  and  passionate  utter- 
ances. It  is  a  dreamy  episode  with  alluring  bits  of  color, 
at  times,  as  in  the  solo  for  clarinet,  rising  to  the  very  in- 
tensity of  passion,  while  in  the  middle  part  occurs  a  gen- 
uine love  dialogue. 

The  scene  now  changes,  and  in  the  final  movement  we 
have  the  dance.  Oddly  enough,  its  principal  theme  is  in 
fugal  form,  led  off  by  the  second  violins,  the  first  coming 
in  last.  It  is  very  brilliant  and  picturesque  in  its  effect, 
and  contains  many  charming  episodes,  among  them  a 
return  to  the  garden  music  in  the  middle  part. 


GOUNOD 

1818-1893 

THE  REDEMPTION 

'"""T^HE  Redemption,  a  Sacred  Trilogy,"  is  the  title 
A.  which  Gounod  gave  to  this  work,  and  on  its  open- 
ing page  he  wrote  :  "  The  work  of  my  life."  It  was  brought 
out  in  August,  1882,  and  the  production  was  a  memorable 
one.  It  was  first  heard  in  America  in  the  Winter  of 
1883-1884  under  Mr.  Theodore  Thomas's  direction,  and 
was  one  of  the  prominent  works  in  his  series  of  festivals  in 
the  latter  year. 

The  prologue  comprises  the  Mosaic  account  of  the 
creation  and  fall  of  man,  involving  the  necessity  of  divine 
mediation,  the  promise  of  redemption,  and  the  annuncia- 
tion of  the  mystery  of  the  incarnation  of  the  Holy  Virgin. 
After  a  brief  instrumental  introduction,  descriptive  of 
chaos,  the  tenor  narrator  announces  the  completion  of 
creation  in  recitative,  followed  by  a  similar  declamation 
from  the  bass  narrator  announcing  the  fall  of  man,  the 
tenor  narrator  answering  with  the  announcement  of  the 
Redeemer's  advent  ("But  of  the  spotless  Lamb"),  in 
which  we  have  for  the  first  time  a  genuine  Wagnerian 
motive,  which  runs  through  the  music  of  the  oratorio 
whenever  allusion  is  made  to  the  divine  atonement.  This 
typical  melody  is  heard  nine  times,  —  three  times  in  the 
prologue,  twice  in  the  scene  of  the  crucifixion,  once  in 
our  Saviour's  promise  to  the  thieves  on  the  cross,  once 
in  His  appearance  to  the  holy  women,  and  twice  in  the 
ascension. 


186     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

The  first  part  includes  the  march  to  Calvary,  which  is 
divided  into  six  separate  numbers,  yet  so  connected  as  to 
make  a  single  musical  series,  —  the  crucifixion,  Mary  at 
the  foot  of  the  cross,  the  dying  thieves,  the  death  of  Jesus, 
and  the  confession  of  His  divinity  by  the  centurion.  It 
opens  with  the  story  of  the  condemnation  of  the  Man  of 
Sorrows  by  Pilate,  told  by  the  bass  narrator,  the  words  of 
Jesus  himself,  however,  being  used  invariably  in  the  first 
person,  and  sung  by  the  barytone  voice.  After  another 
monologue  by  the  narrator,  ensues  the  march  to  the 
cross,  —  an  instrumental  number  which  is  brilliant  in  its 
color  effects  and  somewhat  barbaric  in  tone.  Without 
any  break,  the  sopranos  enter  with  the  words,  "  Forth  the 
royal  banners  go,"  set  to  a  melody  from  the  Roman 
Catholic  liturgy ;  after  which  the  march  is  resumed.  The 
bass  narrator  tells  the  story  of  the  women  who  followed 
lamenting,  interrupted  by  a  semi-chorus  of  sopranos  sing- 
ing the  lament,  and  by  the  words  of  Jesus,  "  Ye  daughters 
of  Israel,  weep  not  for  Me."  Again  the  march  is  heard, 
and  the  sopranos  resume  ("  Forth  the  royal  banners  go  "). 
The  tenor  narrator  recites  the  preparation  for  the  cruci- 
fixion, accompanied  by  descriptive  music  and  followed 
by  a  stormy  chorus  of  the  people  ("  Ha  !  Thou  that  didst 
declare  "),  and  the  mocking  cries  of  the  priests  ("  Can  He 
now  save  himself  ?  "),  sung  by  a  male  chorus.  In  a  pa- 
thetic monologue  Jesus  appeals  for  their  pardon,  which 
leads  to  an  elaborate  concerted  number  for  chorus  or 
quartette,  called  "The  Reproaches."  A  conversation  en- 
sues between  Jesus  and  Mary,  followed  by  the  quartette 
("  Beside  the  cross  remaining "),  in  canon  form,  pre- 
luding the  chorale  ("While  my  watch  I  am  keeping"), 
at  first  sung  by  Mary,  and  then  taken  up  by  the  full 
chorus,  accompanied  by  organ,  trombones,  and  trumpets. 
The  next  scene  is  that  between  Jesus  and  the  two  thieves, 
which  also  leads  to  a  chorale  ("  Lord  Jesus,  Thou  to  all 


GOUNOD  187 

bringest  light  and  salvation").  This  number  contains  the 
last  touch  of  brightness  in  the  first  part.  Immediately 
the  bass  narrator  announces  the  approach  of  the  awful 
tragedy.  The  gathering  darkness  is  pictured  by  a  vivid 
passage  for  strings  and  clarinet,  succeeded  by  the  agoniz- 
ing cries  of  the  Saviour.  The  bass  narrator  declares  the 
consummation  of  the  tragedy,  and  then  with  the  tenor 
narrator  describes  the  throes  of  Nature  ("And  then  the 
air  was  filled  with  a  murmur  unwonted  "),  the  rending  of 
the  veil  of  the  Temple,  the  breaking  of  the  rocks,  the 
earthquake,  and  the  visions  of  the  saintly  apparitions. 
The  last  number  is  the  conviction  of  the  centurion, 
followed  by  a  short  chorale  ("  For  us  the  Christ  is  made 
a  victim  availing  "). 

The  second  part  includes  the  announcement  of  the  doc- 
trine of  the  resurrection  by  the  mystic  chorus,  the  appear- 
ance of  the  Angel  to  the  holy  women  at  the  sepulchre,  that 
of  Jesus  to  them  while  on  the  way  to  Galilee,  the  conster- 
nation of  the  Sanhedrim  when  it  is  learned  that  the 
tomb  is  empty,  the  meeting  of  the  holy  women  and 
the  Apostles,  the  appearance  of  Jesus  to  the  latter,  and 
His  final  ascension.  It  opens  with  a  chorus  for  the 
mystic  choir  ("Saviour  of  men"),  followed  by  a  short 
pastoral  with  muted  strings  and  leading  to  a  trio  for  the 
three  women  ("  How  shall  we  by  ourselves  have  strength 
to  roll  away  the  stone?").  Their  apprehensions  are  re- 
moved by  the  tenor  narrator  and  the  message  of  the 
Angel  interwoven  with  the  harp  and  conveyed  in  the 
beautiful  aria,  "  Why  seek  ye  the  living  among  the  dead?  " 
Jesus  at  last  reveals  himself  to  the  women  with  the  words, 
"  All  hail !  Blessed  are  ye  women,"  accompanied  by  the 
typical  melody,  of  which  mention  has  already  been  made. 
The  three  women  disappear  on  the  way  to  convey  His 
message  to  the  disciples,  and  the  scene  changes  to  the 
Sanhedrim,  where,  in  a  tumultuous  and  agitated  chorus 


i88     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

for  male  voices  ("  Christ  is  risen  again  "),  the  story  of  the 
empty  tomb  is  told  by  the  watchers.  The  bass  narrator 
relates  the  amazement  of  the  priests  and  elders,  and  their 
plot  to  bribe  the  guard,  leading  to  the  chorus  for  male 
voices  ("  Say  ye  that  in  the  night  His  disciples  have  come 
and  stolen  Him  away  "),  at  the  close  of  which  ensues  a 
full,  massive  chorus  ("  Now,  behold  ye  the  guard,  this, 
your  sleep-vanquished  guard"),  closing  with  the  denun- 
ciation in  unison  ("For  ages  on  your  heads  shall  con- 
tempt be  outpoured  ").  The  tenor  and  bass  narrators  in 
duet  tell  of  the  sorrow  of  the  disciples,  which  prepares  the 
way  for  a  lovely  trio  for  first  and  second  soprano  and  alto 
("The  Lord  He  has  risen  again  ").  The  next  number  is 
one  of  the  most  effective  in  the  whole  work,  —  a  soprano 
obligate  solo  ("  From  Thy  love  as  a  father  "),  accompanied 
by  the  full  strength  of  chorus  and  orchestra.  Then  follows 
a  dialogue  between  the  Saviour  and  His  Apostles,  in  which 
He  gives  them  their  mission  to  the  world.  The  Finale 
begins  with  a  massive  chorus  ("  Unfold,  ye  portals  ever- 
lasting"). The  celestial  chorus  above,  accompanied  by 
harps  and  trumpets,  inquire,  "  But  who  is  He,  the  King  of 
Glory?"  The  answer  comes  in  a  stately  unison  by  the 
terrestrial  chorus  ("  He  who  death  overcame  ").  Again 
the  question  is  asked,  and  again  it  is  answered ;  where- 
upon the  two  choirs  are  massed  in  the  jubilant  chorus 
("Unfold!  for  lo  the  King  comes  nigh!"),  the  full 
orchestra  and  organ  sounding  the  Redemption  melody, 
and  the  whole  closing  with  a  fanfare  of  trumpets. 

The  third  part  includes  the  prophecy  of  the  millen- 
nium, the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  the  Apostles,  the 
Pentecostal  manifestations,  and  the  hymn  of  the  Apostles. 
After  a  short  instrumental  prelude  it  opens  with  a  brief 
chorus  ("Lovely  appear  over  the  mountains"),  followed 
by  a  soprano  solo,  the  only  distinct  number  of  that 
kind  in  the  work,  set  to  the  words,  "  Over  the  barren 


GOUNOD  189 

wastes  shall  flowers  have  possession,"  at  its  close  the 
chorus  resuming  in  unison,  "  Lovely  appear  over  the 
mountains."  The  next  number  is  "The  Apostles  in 
prayer,"  an  instrumental  sketch,  followed  by  the  nar- 
rators relating  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Without 
break  the  Apostles'  hymn  begins,  tenors  and  basses  in 
unison  ("The  Word  is  flesh  become  "),  leading  into  the 
quartette  of  solo  voices  ("  By  faith  salvation  comes,  and  by 
peace,  consolation").  The  chorus  responds  antiphonally, 
and  again  the  solo  voices  are  heard  in  a  lovely  quartette 
("He  has  said  to  all  the  unhappy"),  followed  by  a  small 
choir  of  thirty  voices  ("  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit "), 
at  the  end  of  which  all  the  voices  are  massed  on  the 
Apostles'  hymn,  which  closes  in  fugal  form  on  the  words, 
"  He,  like  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  one  with  the  Father,  an  ever- 
lasting Trinity,"  the  whole  ending  in  massive  chords. 

MORS  ET  VITA 

The  oratorio  "  Mors  et  Vita"  ("Death  and  Life")  is 
the  continuation  of  "  The  Redemption."  It  was  first  per- 
formed at  the  Birmingham  Festival,  August  26,  1885, 
under  the  direction  of  Herr  Hans  Richter,  the  principal 
parts  being  sung  by  Mesdames  Albani  and  Patey  and 
Messrs.  Santley  and  Lloyd.  Its  companion  oratorio, 
"The  Redemption,"  was  dedicated  to  Queen  Victoria, 
and  itself  to  His  Holiness  Pope  Leo  XIII. 

The  oratorio  is  divided  into  a  prologue  and  three  parts. 
The  first  part  is  entitled  "  Mors,"  and  opens  with  the  pro- 
logue, which  is  brief,  followed  by  the  "  Requiem,"  inter- 
spersed with  texts  of  a  reflective  character  commenting 
upon  the  sentiment.  The  second  part  is  entitled  "  Judic- 
ium"  ("Judgment"),  and  includes:  i.  The  Sleep  of 
the  Dead;  2.  The  Trumpets  at  the  Last  Judgment;  3. 
The  Resurrection  of  the  Dead;  4.  The  Judge;  5.  The 


i po     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

Judgment  of  the  Elect ;  6.  The  Judgment  of  the  Rejected. 
The  third  part  is  entitled  "  Vita,"  and  includes  the  vision 
of  Saint  John,  the  text  being  taken  from  the  Apocalypse  ; 
the  work  closing  with  an  "  Hosanna  in  Excelsis,"  exulting 
in  the  glorious  vision  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem. 

The  prologue,  which  is  sustained  by  the  chorus  and 
barytone  solo,  declares  the  terrors  of  death  and  the  judg- 
ment. The  chorus  intones  the  words,  "  It  is  a  fearful 
thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God,"  and  in 
this  phrase  is  heard  the  chief  motive,  heavily  accented  by 
the  percussion  instruments,  —  the  motive  which  typifies 
death  both  of  the  body  and  of  the  unredeemed  soul. 
Immediately  after  follows  the  barytone  voice,  that  of 
Jesus,  in  the  familiar  words,  "  I  am  the  Resurrection 
and  the  Life."  The  chorus  repeats  the  declaration,  and 
the  Requiem  Mass  then  begins,  divided  into  various  sec- 
tions, of  which  the  "Dies  Irse  "  is  the  most  important; 
this  in  turn  is  subdivided  in  the  conventional  form. 
After  an  adagio  prelude  and  the  intonation  of  the 
"  Requiem  seternam,"  an  interpolated  text  occurs  ("  From 
the  morning  watch  till  the  evening"),  set  as  a  double 
chorus  without  accompaniment,  in  the  genuine  church 
style  of  the  old  masters.  It  leads  directly  to  the  "  Dies 
Irse,"  in  which  the  death  motive  already  referred  to  fre- 
quently occurs.  It  is  laid  out  in  duets,  quartettes,  and 
arias,  with  and  without  chorus,  very  much  in  the  same 
tempo  and  of  the  same  character  of  melody.  The  verse 
"Ah!  what  shall  we  then  be  pleading?"  for  quartette 
and  chorus  is  remarkable  for  its  attractive  melody.  It  is 
followed  by  a  soprano  solo  and  chorus  of  a  reflective 
character  ("Happy  are  we,  with  such  a  Saviour"). 
The  hymn  is  then  resumed  with  the  verse,  "  Faint  and 
worn,  Thou  yet  hast  sought  us,"  for  duet  and  chorus, 
which  is  of  the  same  general  character.  The  next  verse 
("  Lord,  for  anguish  hear  us  moaning"),  for  quartette  and 


CHARLES  FRANCOIS  GOUNOD 


GOUNOD  191 

chorus,  is  elaborate  in  its  construction,  particularly  as 
compared  with  that  immediately  following  ("  With  the 
faithful  deign  to  place  us"),  a  tenor  solo  of  a  quaint  and 
pastoral  character.  The  next  number  for  chorus  ("  While 
the  wicked  are  confounded  ")  affords  still  another  striking 
contrast,  being  in  the  grandiose  dramatic  style  closing  with 
phrases  for  the  solo  voices  expressive  of  submission  and 
contrition.  Up  to  this  point  the  "  Dies  Iree  "  has  been 
monotonous  in  its  sameness  of  general  style ;  but  the  next 
verse  ("  Day  of  weeping,  day  of  mourning  ")  is  a  beauti- 
ful and  thoroughly  original  number  of  striking  effect.  It 
leads  directly  to  the  offertory  ("  O  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
King  of  Glory  "),  which  is  composed  of  a  chorus  for  eight 
parts,  a  soprano  solo  ("  But,  Lord,  do  Thou  bring  them 
evermore  "),  a  chorus  ("  Which  once  to  Abraham  "),  and 
a  second  chorus  ("  Sacrifice  of  prayer  and  praise  ").  The 
soprano  solo  is  a  delightful  melody,  sung  to  a  delicate  ac- 
companiment of  the  strings,  with  occasional  chords  on  the 
harp,  and  based  upon  the  beautiful  second  typical  motive, 
which  the  composer  styles  "  The  Motive  of  Happiness." 
The  chorus  ("  Which  once  to  Abraham  ")  is  set  in  fugue 
form,  the  conventional  style  among  composers  with  this 
number ;  but,  as  in  "  The  Redemption,"  whenever  Gou- 
nod employs  the  fugue  form,  he  drops  it  as  soon  as  the 
four  voices  have  fairly  launched  themselves.  The  next 
number  is  the  "  Sanctus," —  a  beautiful  tenor  aria  with 
chorus,  full  of  that  sweetness  which  is  so  characteristic 
of  Gounod.  It  is  followed  by  the  quartette  ("  Mighty 
Saviour,  Jesus  blest"),  which  is  deeply  religious  in  char- 
acter ;  the  lovely  soprano  solo  and  chorus  ("  Agnus 
Dei ")  ;  and  the  chorus  ("  Lord,  forever  let  light  eter- 
nal"). The  first  part  is  rounded  off  with  an  epilogue, 
an  interlude  for  full  orchestra  and  organ,  based  upon  the 
first  and  second  typical  melodies,  forming  a  consistent 
and  stately  Finale  to  this  part  of  the  work. 


192     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

The  second  part  is  peculiar  for  the  prominence  which 
the  composer  assigns  to  the  orchestra.  It  opens  with  a 
well-sustained,  gentle  adagio  movement,  entitled  "  The 
Sleep  of  the  Dead,"  which  at  times  is  somewhat  harshly 
interrupted  by  the  third  typical  melody,  announcing  the 
awakening  of  the  dead  at  the  terrifying  call  of  the  angelic 
trumpets.  This  is  specially  noticeable  in  that  part  of  the 
prelude  called  "  The  Trumpet  of  the  Last  Judgment,"  in 
which  the  trombones,  trumpets,  and  tubas  are  employed 
with  extraordinary  effect.  Still  a  third  phrase  of  the  pre- 
lude occurs,  —  "  The  Resurrection  of  the  Dead,"  —  which 
is  smooth  and  flowing  in  its  style,  and  peculiarly  rich  in 
harmony.  A  brief  recitative  by  barytone  ("  But  when  the 
Son  of  Man  ")  intervenes,  immediately  followed  by  another 
instrumental  number,  entitled  "Judex"  ("The  Judge"), 
— .one  of  the  most  effective  pieces  of  orchestration  in  the 
oratorio,  based  upon  the  motive  which  indicates  the  tem- 
pering of  justice  with  mercy,  given  out  by  the  strings  in 
unison.  It  preludes  a  short  chorus  ("Sitting  upon  the 
throne"),  the  previous  melody  still  continuing  in  the 
orchestra.  The  "  Judgment  of  the  Elect "  follows,  pro- 
nounced by  the  barytone  voice  in  recitative,  and  leading 
directly  to  the  soprano  solo  ("The  righteous  shall  enter 
into  glory  eternal"),  —  the  most  exquisite  solo  number  in 
the  work,  —  followed  by  an  effective  chorale  ("  In  remem- 
brance everlasting").  Then  follows  "The  Judgment  of 
the  Rejected,"  consisting  of  barytone  solos  and  chorus, 
closing  the  second  part. 

The  third  part  celebrates  the  delights  of  the  celestial 
city  as  pictured  in  the  apocalyptic  vision  of  St.  John,  and 
is  in  marked  contrast  to  the  gloom  and  sombreness  of  the 
Requiem  music,  as  well  as  the  terrors  of  the  Judgment. 
It  is  bright,  jubilant,  and  exultant  throughout.  The  title 
of  the  prelude  is  "  New  Heaven,  New  Earth."  The  bary- 
tone intones  the  recitative  ("  And  I  saw  the  new  heaven  "), 


GOUNOD  193 

which  is  followed  by  another  delightful  sketch  for  the  or- 
chestra ("Celestial  Jerusalem"),  —  a  most  vivid  and 
graphic  picture  of  the  subject  it  describes.  The  remain- 
ing prominent  numbers  are  the  "  Sanctus "  chorus,  the 
celestial  chorus  ("I  am  Alpha  and  Omega"),  and  the 
final  chorus  ("  Hosanna  in  Excelsis"),  which  closes  this 
remarkable  work. 


«3 


HANDEL 

1685  - 1759 

Acis  AND  GALATEA 

THE  first  idea  of  Handel's  famous  pastoral,  "  Acis  and 
Galatea,"  is  to  be  found  in  a  serenata,  "  Aci,  Galatea, 
e  Polifemo,"  which  he  produced  at  Naples  in  July,  1708. 
The  plan  of  the  work  resembles  that  of  the  later  pastoral, 
though  its  musical  setting  is  entirely  different.  The  story 
is  based  on  the  seventh  fable  in  the  thirteenth  book  of  the 
Metamorphoses,  —  the  sad  story  which  Galatea,  daughter 
of  Nereus,  tells  to  Scylla.  The  nymph  was  passionately 
in  love  with  the  shepherd  Acis,  son  of  Faunus  and  of  the 
nymph  Symaethis,  and  pursued  him  incessantly.  She  too 
was  pursued  by  Polyphemus,  the  one-eyed  Cyclops  of 
^Etna,  contemner  of  the  gods.  One  day,  reclining  upon 
the  breast  of  Acis,  concealed  behind  a  rock,  she  hears  the 
giant  pouring  out  to  the  woods  and  mountains  his  story  of 
love  and  despair.  As  he  utters  his  complaints,  he  espies 
the  lovers.  Then,  raging  and  roaring  so  that  the  moun- 
tains shook  and  the  sea  trembled,  he  hurled  a  huge  rock 
at  Acis  and  crushed  him.  The  shepherd's  blood  gushing 
forth  from  beneath  the  rock  was  changed  into  a  river; 
and  Galatea,  who  had  fled  to  the  sea,  was  consoled. 

The  overture  to  the  work,  consisting  of  one  movement, 
is  thoroughly  pastoral  in  its  style  and  introduces  a  chorus 
("Oh,  the  pleasures  of  the  plains!")  in  which  the  easy, 
careless  life  of  the  shepherds  and  their  swains  is  pictured. 
Galatea  enters  seeking  her  lover,  and  after  the  recitative 
("  Ye  verdant  plains  and  woody  mountains  ")  relieves  her 


HANDEL  195 

heart  with  an  outburst  of  melodious  beauty  ("  Hush,  ye 
pretty  warbling  choir  !  ").  Acis  answers  her,  after  a  short 
recitative,  with  another  aria  equally  graceful  ("  Love  in 
her  eyes  sits  playing  and  sheds  delicious  death  ").  The 
melodious  and  sensuous  dialogue  is  continued  by  Galatea, 
who  once  more  sings  ("  As  when  the  dove  ").  Then  in  a 
duet,  sparkling  with  the  happiness  of  the  lovers  ("  Happy 
we  "),  closing  with  chorus  to  the  same  words,  this  pretty 
picture  of  ancient  pastoral  life  among  the  nymphs  and 
shepherds  comes  to  an  end. 

In  the  second  part  there  is  another  tone  both  to  scene 
and  music.  The  opening  chorus  of  alarm  ("Wretched 
lovers ")  portends  the  coming  of  the  love-sick  Cyclops ; 
the  mountains  bow,  the  forests  shake,  the  waves  run  fright- 
ened to  the  shore  as  he  approaches  roaring  and  calling 
for  "  a  hundred  reeds  of  decent  growth,"  that  on  "  such 
pipe  "  his  capacious  mouth  may  play  the  praises  of  Galatea. 
The  recitative  ("  I  melt,  I  rage,  I  burn  ")  is  very  charac- 
teristic, and  leads  to  the  giant's  love-song,  an  unctuous, 
catching  melody  almost  too  full  of  humor  and  grace  for 
the  fierce  brute  of  ./Etna  ("  Oh,  ruddier  than  the  cherry  !  "). 

In  marked  contrast  with  this  declaration  follows  the 
plaintive,  tender  song  of  Acis  ("  Love  sounds  the  alarm  "). 
Galatea  appeals  to  him  to  trust  the  gods,  and  then  the 
three  join  in  a  trio  ("  The  flocks  shall  leave  the  moun- 
tain ").  Enraged  at  his  discomfiture,  the  giant  puts  forth 
his  power.  He  is  no  longer  the  lover  piping  to  Galatea 
and  dissembling  his  real  nature,  but  a  destructive,  raging 
force ;  and  the  fragment  of  mountain  which  he  tears  away 
buries  poor  Acis  as  effectually  as  AZtna.  sometimes  does 
the  plains  beneath.  The  catastrophe  accomplished,  the 
work  closes  with  the  sad  lament  of  Galatea  for  her  lover 
("  Must  I  my  Acis  still  bemoan?  ")  and  the  choral  conso- 
lations of  the  shepherds  and  their  swains  ("  Galatea,  dry 
thy  tears,  Acis  now  a  god  appears"). 


196     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

ALEXANDER'S  FEAST 

Handel  composed  the  music  for  Dryden's  immortal  ode 
in  1736.  The  work  was  first  performed  at  Covent  Gar- 
den Theatre,  London,  February  19,  about  a  month  after  it 
was  written,  and  met  with  remarkable  success. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  inform  the  reader  of  the  nature  of 
a  poem  so  familiar  to  every  one.  The  overture  is  written 
for  strings  and  two  oboes.  Throughout  the  work  the 
orchestration  is  thin,  but  in  1790  Mozart  amplified  the 
accompaniments,  —  an  improvement  which  he  also  made 
for  the  score  of  "Acis  and  Galatea."  The  great  solos  of 
the  composition  are  the  furious  aria  (" '  Revenge,  re- 
venge ! '  Timotheus  cries")  and  the  descriptive  recitative 
("  Give  the  vengeance  due  to  the  valiant  crew  "),  in  which 
Handel  employs  his  imitative  powers  with  consummate 
effect.  The  choruses  of  the  work  are  equally  strong,  and 
some  of  them  are  among  the  best  Handel  ever  wrote, 
particularly,  "  He  sang  Darius  great  and  good,"  "  Break 
his  bands  of  sleep  asunder,"  "  Let  old  Timotheus  yield 
the  prize,"  and  "  The  many  rend  the  skies  with  loud  ap- 
plause." They  are  as  genuine  inspirations  as  the  best 
choruses  of  the  "  Messiah  "  or  of  "  Israel  in  Egypt." 

L'  ALLEGRO 

"  L'  Allegro,  il  Penseroso  ed  il  Moderato,"  the  first  two 
movements  of  which  contain  a  musical  setting  of  Milton's 
well-known  poem,  was  written  in  the  seventeen  days  from 
January  19  to  February  6,  1740,  and  was  first  performed 
on  the  twenty-seventh  of  the  latter  month  at  the  Royal 
Theatre,  Lincoln's  Inn  Fields,  London.  The  text  of  the 
first  two  parts  is  by  Milton,  Allegro,  as  is  well  known, 
chanting  the  praises  of  pleasure,  Penseroso  those  of  mel- 
ancholy ;  Allegro  represented  by  tenor  and  Penseroso  by 


HANDEL  197 

soprano,  and  each  supported  by  a  chorus  which  joins  in 
the  discussion  of  the  two  moods. 

The  work  opens  without  overture,  its  place  having  origi- 
nally been  supplied  by  an  orchestral  concerto.  In  vig- 
orous and  very  dramatic  recitative  Allegro  bids  "  loathed 
Melancholy  "  hence,  followed  by  Penseroso,  who  in  a  few 
bars  of  recitative  far  less  vigorously  consigns  "  vain,  de- 
luding joys"  to  "some  idle  brain";  Allegro  replies  with 
the  first  aria  ("Come,  come,  thou  goddess  fair"),  a  beau- 
tifully free  and  flowing  melody,  responded  to  by  Penseroso, 
who  in  an  aria  of  stately  rhythm  appeals  to  his  goddess 
("  Divinest  Melancholy").  Now  Allegro  summons  his 
retinue  of  mirth  ("  Haste  thee,  nymph,  and  bring  with 
thee  "),  and  the  chorus  takes  up  the  jovial  refrain  in  the 
same  temper.  The  aria  itself  is  well  known  as  the  laugh- 
ing song.  Indeed,  both  aria  and  chorus  are  full  of  unre- 
strained mirth,  and  go  laughingly  along  in  genuine  musical 
giggles.  The  effect  is  still  further  enhanced  by  the  next 
aria  for  Allegro  ( "  Come  and  trip  it  as  you  go  "),  a  graceful 
minuet,  which  is  also  taken  by  the  chorus.  After  a  recita- 
tive by  Penseroso  ("  Come,  pensive  nun  "),  and  the  aria 
("  Come,  but  keep  thy  wonted  state  "),  the  first  Penseroso 
chorus  occurs  ("Join  with  thee  calm  peace  and  quiet"),  a 
short  but  beautiful  passage  of  tranquil  harmony.  Once 
more  in  recitative  Allegro  bids  "  loathed  Melancholy " 
hence,  and  then  in  the  aria  ("  Mirth,  admit  me  of  thy 
crew")  leading  into  chorus,  sings  of  the  lark,  "startling 
dull  Night "  and  bidding  good-morrow  at  his  window,  — 
a  brilliant  number  accompanied  with  an  imitation  of  the 
lark's  song.  Penseroso  replies  by  an  equally  brilliant 
song  ("  Sweet  bird  that  shun'st  the  noise  of  folly "),  in 
which  the  nightingale  plays  the  part  of  accompaniment. 
Another  aria  by  Allegro  ("Mirth,  admit  me  of  thy  crew  ") 
gives  an  opportunity  for  a  blithe  and  jocund  hunting-song 
for  the  bass,  followed  by  one  of  the  most  beautiful  numbers 


198     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

in  the  work  ("  Oft  on  a  plat  of  rising  ground"),  sung  by 
Penseroso,  in  which  the  ringing  of  the  far-off  curfew, 
"  swinging  slow,  with  sullen  roar,"  is  introduced  with  tell- 
ing effect.  This  is  followed  by  a  quiet  meditative  aria 
("  Far  from  all  resorts  of  mirth  "),  when  once  again  Al- 
legro takes  up  the  strain  in  two  arias  ("  Let  me  wander  not 
unseen  "  and  "  Straight  mine  eye  hath  caught  new  pleas- 
ures"). The  first  part  closes  with  the  Allegro  aria  and 
chorus  ("  Or  let  the  merry  bells  ring  round  "),  full  of  the 
very  spirit  of  joy  and  youth  ;  and  ending  with  an  exquisite 
harmonic  effect  as  the  gay  crowd  creep  to  bed,  "  by  whis- 
pering winds  soon  lulled  to  sleep." 

The  second  part  begins  with  a  stately  recitative  and 
aria  by  Penseroso  ("Sometimes  let  gorgeous  tragedy"), 
followed  by  one  of  the  most  characteristic  arias  in  the 
work  ("  But  oh,  sad  Virgin,  that  thy  power  might  raise  !  ") 
in  which  the  passage  "  Or  bid  the  soul  of  Orpheus  sing  " 
is  accompanied  by  long,  persistent  trills  that  admirably  suit 
the  words.  The  next  number  ("  Populous  cities  please  me 
then  ")  is  a  very  descriptive  solo  for  Allegro,  with  chorus 
which  begins  in  canon  form  for  the  voices  and  then  turns 
to  a  lively  movement  as  it  pictures  the  knights  celebrating 
their  triumphs  and  the  "  store  of  ladies  "  awarding  prizes 
to  their  gallants.  Again  Allegro  in  a  graceful  aria  sings, 
"  There  let  Hymen  oft  appear."  It  is  followed  by  a 
charming  canzonet  ("  Hide  me  from  day's  garish  eye  ") 
for  Penseroso,  which  leads  to  an  aria  for  Allegro  ("  I  '11  to 
the  well-trod  stage  anon"),  opening  in  genuinely  theatrical 
style,  and  then  changing  to  a  delightfully  melodious  war- 
ble at  the  words  "Or  sweetest  Shakspeare,  Fancy's  child." 
This  is  followed  by  three  characteristic  arias,  "  And  ever, 
against  eating  cares,"  "Orpheus  himself  may  heave  his 
head,"  and  "These  delights,  if  thou  canst  give,"  —  the  last 
with  chorus. 


HANDEL  199 

ISRAEL  IN  EGYPT 

"Israel  in  Egypt,"  the  fifth  of  the  nineteen  oratorios 
which  Handel  composed  in  England,  was  written  in  1738, 
the  composition  of  the  whole  of  this  colossal  work  occupy- 
ing but  twenty-seven  days.  It  was  first  performed  as 
"Israel  in  Egypt,"  April  4,  1739,  at  the  King's  Theatre, 
of  which  Handel  was  then  manager.  It  was  given  the 
second  time  April  1 1,  "  with  alterations  and  additions,"  the 
alterations  having  been  made  in  order  to  admit  of  the  in- 
troduction of  songs.  The  third  performance  took  place 
April  1 7,  upon  which  occasion  the  "  Funeral  Anthem," 
which  he  had  written  for  Queen  Caroline,  was  used  as  a 
first  part  and  entitled,  "  Lamentations  of  the  Israelites  for 
the  Death  of  Joseph."  During  the  lifetime  of  Handel  the 
oratorio  was  performed  only  nine  times,  for  in  spite  of  its 
excellence,  it  was  a  failure.  For  many  years  after  his 
death  it  was  produced  in  mutilated  form  ;  but  in  1849  tne 
Sacred  Harmonic  Society  of  London  gave  it  as  it  was 
originally  written  and  as  we  know  it  now,  without  the 
"  Funeral  Anthem  "  or  any  of  the  songs  which  had  been 
introduced. 

The  first  part  opens  with  the  wail  of  the  Israelites  over 
the  burdens  imposed  upon  them  by  their  Egyptian  task- 
masters, and  then  in  rapid  succession  follow  the  plagues, 
—  the  water  of  the  Nile  turned  to  blood,  the  reptiles 
swarming  even  into  the  king's  chambers,  the  pestilence 
scourging  man  and  beast,  the  insect-cloud  heralding  the 
locusts,  the  pelting  hail  and  the  fire  running  along  the 
ground,  the  thick  darkness,  and  the  smiting  of  the  first- 
born. Then  come  the  passage  of  the  Red  Sea  and  the 
escape  from  bondage,  closing  the  first  part.  The  second 
part  opens  with  the  triumphant  song  of  Moses  and  the 
Children  of  Israel  rejoicing  over  the  destruction  of  Pha- 
raoh's host,  and  closes  with  the  exultant  strain  of  Miriam 


200     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

the  prophetess,  "  Sing  ye  to  the  Lord,  for  He  hath  tri- 
umphed gloriously ;  the  horse  and  his  rider  hath  He  thrown 
into  the  sea." 

"  Israel  in  Egypt "  is  essentially  a  choral  oratorio.  It 
comprises  no  less  than  twenty-eight  massive  double  cho- 
ruses, linked  together  by  a  few  bars  of  recitative,  with  five 
arias  and  three  duets  interspersed  among  them.  Unlike 
Handel's  other  oratorios,  there  is  no  overture  or  even  pre- 
lude to  the  work.  Six  bars  of  recitative  for  tenor  ("  Now 
there  arose  a  new  king  over  Egypt  which  knew  not 
Joseph")  suffice  to  introduce  it,  and  lead  directly  to  the 
first  double  chorus  ("And  the  children  of  Israel  sighed  "), 
the  theme  of  which  is  first  given  out  by  the  altos  of  one 
choir  with  impressive  pathos.  The  chorus  works  up  to  a 
climax  of  great  force  on  the  phrase,  "  And  their  cry  came 
up  unto  God,"  the  two  choruses  developing  with  consum- 
mate power  the  two  principal  subjects,  —  first,  the  cry  for 
relief,  and  second,  the  burden  of  oppression ;  and  closing 
with  the  phrase  above  mentioned,  upon  which  they  unite 
in  simple  but  majestic  harmony.  Then  follow  eight  more 
bars  of  recitative  for  tenor,  and  the  long  series  of  descrip- 
tive choruses  begins,  in  which  Handel  employs  the  imita- 
tive power  of  music  in  the  boldest  manner.  The  first  is 
the  plague  of  the  water  turned  to  blood  ("  They  loathed  to 
drink  of  the  river"),  —  a  single  chorus  in  fugue  form, 
based  upon  a  theme  which  is  closely  suggestive  of  the 
sickening  sensations  of  the  Egyptians,  and  increases  in 
loathsomeness  to  the  close,  as  the  theme  is  variously  treated. 
The  next  number  is  an  aria  for  mezzo  soprano  voice 
("Their  land  brought  forth  frogs"),  the  air  itself  serious 
and  dignified,  but  the  accompaniment  imitative  through- 
out of  the  hopping  of  these  lively  animals.  It  is  followed 
by  the  plague  of  insects,  whose  afflictions  are  described  by 
the  double  chorus.  The  tenors  and  basses  in  powerful 
unison  declare,  "  He  spake  the  word,"  and  the  reply  comes 


HANDEL  201 

at  once  from  the  sopranos  and  altos,  "  And  there  came  all 
manner  of  flies,"  set  to  a  shrill,  buzzing,  whirring  accom- 
paniment, which  increases  in  volume  and  energy  as  the  lo- 
custs appear,  but  bound  together  solidly  with  the  phrase  of 
the  tenors  and  basses  frequently  repeated,  and  presenting 
a  sonorous  background  to  this  fancy  of  the  composer  in 
insect  imitation.  From  this  remarkable  chorus  we  pass  to 
another  still  more  remarkable,  the  familiar  "  Hailstone 
Chorus  "  ("  He  gave  them  hailstones  for  rain  "),  which,  like 
the  former,  is  closely  imitative.  Before  the  two  choirs  be- 
gin, the  orchestra  prepares  the  way  for  the  on-coming 
storm.  Drop  by  drop,  spattering,  dashing,  and  at  last 
crashing,  comes  the  storm,  the  gathering  gloom  rent  with 
the  lightning,  the  "fire  that  ran  along  upon  the  ground," 
and  the  music  fairly  quivering  and  crackling  with  the  wrath 
of  the  elements.  But  the  storm  passes,  the  gloom  deepens, 
and  we  are  lost  in  that  vague,  uncertain  combination  of 
tones  where  voices  and  instruments  seem  to  be  groping 
about,  comprised  in  the  marvellously  expressive  chorus 
("  He  sent  a  thick  darkness  over  all  the  land  ").  From 
the  oppression  of  this  choral  gloom  we  emerge,  only  to 
encounter  a  chorus  of  savage,  unrelenting  retribution  ("  He 
smote  all  the  first-born  of  Egypt").  After  this  savage 
mission  is  accomplished,  we  come  to  a  chorus  in  pastoral 
style  ("But  as  for  His  people,  He  led  them  forth  like 
sheep  "),  slow,  tender,  serene,  and  lovely  in  its  movement, 
and  grateful  to  the  ear  both  in  its  quiet  opening  and  ani- 
mated, happy  close,  after  the  terrors  which  have  preceded 
it.  The  following  chorus  ("  Egypt  was  glad "),  usually 
omitted  in  performance,  is  a  fugue,  both  strange  and  intri- 
cate. The  next  two  numbers  are  really  one.  The  two 
choruses  intone  the  words,  "  He  rebuked  the  Red  Sea," 
in  a  majestic  manner,  accompanied  by  a  few  massive 
chords,  and  then  pass  to  the  glorious  march  of  the  Israel- 
ites ("  He  led  them  through  the  deep  "),  —  an  elaborate  and 


202     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

complicated  number,  but  strong,  forcible,  and  harmonious 
throughout,  and  held  together  by  the  stately  opening  theme 
with  which  the  basses  ascend.  It  is  succeeded  by  another 
graphic  chorus  ("  But  the  waters  overwhelmed  their  ene- 
mies"), in  which  the  roll  and  dash  of  the  billows  closing 
over  Pharaoh's  hosts  are  closely  imitated  by  the  instru- 
ments, and  through  which  in  the  close  is  heard  the  victo- 
rious shout  of  the  Israelites  ("  There  was  not  one  of  them 
left").  Two  more  short  choruses,  —  the  first  ("And 
Israel  saw  that  great  work")  and  its  continuation  ("And 
believed  the  Lord"),  written  in  church  style,  close  this 
extraordinary  chain  of  choral  pictures. 

The  second  part,  "The  Song  of  Moses,"  opens  with  a 
brief  but  forcible  orchestral  prelude,  leading  directly  to  the 
declaration  by  the  chorus  ("  Moses  and  the  children  of 
Israel  sang  this  song"),  which,  taken  together  with  the 
instrumental  prelude,  serves  as  a  stately  introduction  to 
the  stupendous  fugued  chorus  which  follows  ("  I  will  sing 
unto  the  Lord,  for  He  hath  triumphed  gloriously ;  the 
horse  and  his  rider  hath  He  thrown  into  the  sea").  It  is 
followed  by  a  duet  for  two  sopranos  ("  The  Lord  is  my 
strength  and  my  song")  in  the  minor  key,  —  an  intricate 
but  melodious  number,  usually  omitted.  Once  more  the 
chorus  resumes  with  a  brief  announcement  ("  He  is  my 
God  "),  followed  by  a  fugued  movement  in  the  old  church 
style  ("  And  I  will  exalt  Him  ").  Next  follows  the  great 
duet  for  two  basses  ("The  Lord  is  a  man  of  war"),  —  a 
piece  of  superb  declamatory  effect,  full  of  vigor  and  stately 
assertion.  The  triumphant  announcement  in  its  closing 
measures  ("  His  chosen  captains  also  are  drowned  in  the 
Red  Sea")  is  answered  by  a  brief  chorus  ("The  depths 
have  cov-ered  them  "),  which  is  followed  by  four  choruses 
of  triumph,  —  "Thy  right  hand,  O  Lord,"  an  elaborate 
and  brilliant  number  ;  "  And  in  the  greatness  of  Thine  ex- 
cellency," a  brief  but  powerful  bit;  "Thou  sendest  forth 


GEORGE  FRKDKRICK  HANDEL 


HANDEL  203 

Thy  wrath  " ;  and  the  single  chorus,  "  And  with  the  blast 
of  Thy  nostrils,"  in  the  last  two  of  which  Handel  again 
returns  to  the  imitative  style  with  wonderful  effect,  espe- 
cially in  the  declaration  of  the  basses  ("  The  floods  stood 
upright  as  an  heap,  and  the  depths  were  congealed "). 
The  only  tenor  aria  in  the  oratorio  follows  these  choruses, 
a  bravura  song  ("The  enemy  said,  '  I  will  pursue  '  "),  and 
this  is  followed  by  the  only  soprano  aria  ("  Thou  didst  blow 
with  the  wind").  Two  short  double  choruses  ("Who  is 
like  unto  Thee,  O  Lord,"  and  "The  earth  swallowed 
them  ")  lead  to  the  duet  for  contralto  and  tenor  ("Thou 
in  Thy  mercy  "),  which  is  in  the  minor,  and  very  pathetic 
in  character.  It  is  followed  by  the  massive  and  extremely 
difficult  chorus,  "The  people  shall  hear  and  be  afraid." 
Once  more,  after  this  majestic  display,  comes  the  solo 
voice,  this  time  the  contralto,  in  a  simple,  lovely  song 
("Thou  shall  bring  them  in").  A  short  double  chorus 
("The  Lord  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever"),  a  few  bars  of 
recitative  referring  to  the  escape  of  Israel,  the  choral  out- 
burst once  more  repeated,  and  then  the  solo  voice  declar- 
ing, "  Miriam  the  prophetess  took  a  timbrel  in  her  hand, 
and  all  the  women  went  out  after  her  with  timbrels  and 
with  dances ;  and  Miriam  answered  them,"  lead  to  the 
final  song  of  triumph,  —  that  grand,  jubilant,  overpower- 
ing expression  of  victory  which,  beginning  with  the  exultant 
strain  of  Miriam  ("  Sing  ye  to  the  Lord,  for  He  hath  tri- 
umphed gloriously"),  is  amplified  by  voice  upon  voice  in 
the  great  eight-part  choir,  and  by  instrument  upon  instru- 
ment, until  it  becomes  a  tempest  of  harmony,  interwoven 
with  the  triumph  of  Miriam's  cry  and  the  exultation  of  the 
great  host  over  the  enemy's  discomfiture,  and  closing  with 
the  combined  power  of  voices  and  instruments  in  harmo- 
nious accord  as  they  once  more  repeat  Miriam's  words, 
"  The  horse  and  his  rider  hath  He  thrown  into  the 
sea." 


204     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

SAUL 

The  oratorio  of  "  Saul  "  was  written  by  Handel  in  1738. 
The  story  closely  follows  the  Biblical  narrative  of  the  rela- 
tions between  David  and  Saul.  The  overture  is  the  longest 
of  all  the  Handel  introductions.  It  is  in  four  movements, 
the  first  an  allegro,  the  second  a  largo,  in  which  the  organ 
is  used  as  a  solo  instrument,  the  third  an  allegro,  and  the 
fourth  a  minuetto.  It  is  an  exceedingly  graceful  and  deli- 
cate prelude,  and  makes  a  fitting  introduction  to  the  dra- 
matic story  which  follows.  The  characters  introduced  are 
Saul,  King  of  Israel ;  Jonathan,  his  son  ;  Abner,  captain 
of  the  host ;  David  ;  the  apparition  of  Samuel ;  Doeg,  a 
messenger ;  an  Amalekite ;  Abiathar,  Merab,  and  Michal, 
daughters  of  Saul;  the  Witch  of  Endor;  and  the  Israel- 
ites. The  dramatic  character  of  the  narrative  admirably 
adapts  it  to  its  division  into  acts  and  scenes. 

The  first  part  is  triumphant  in  its  tone  and  expressive 
of  the  exultation  of  the  Israelites  at  their  victory  over  the 
Philistines.  The  second  gives  a  story  of  the  passions, — 
Saul's  jealousy  of  David,  the  love  of  Michal,  and  the  ardent 
friendship  between  David  and  Jonathan.  The  last  is  som- 
bre in  its  character,  opening  with  the  weird  incantations  of 
the  Witch,  and  closing  with  David's  grief  over  Saul  and 
Jonathan. 

The  first  scene  opens  in  the  Israelitish  camp  by  the 
valley  of  Elah,  where  the  people  join  in  an  Epinicion,  or 
Song  of  Triumph,  over  Goliath  and  the  Philistines.  It  is 
made  up  of  a  chorus  ("  How  excellent  Thy  name,  O 
Lord  !  "),  which  is  a  stirring  tribute  of  praise ;  an  aria 
("An  infant  raised  by  Thy  command  "),  describing  the 
meeting  of  David  and  Goliath ;  a  trio,  in  which  the  giant 
is  pictured  as  the  "  monster  atheist,"  striding  along  to  the 
vigorous  and  expressive  music  ;  and  three  closing  cho- 
ruses ("The  youth  inspired  by  Thee,"  "How  excellent 


HANDEL  205 

Thy  name,"  and  a  jubilant  "  Hallelujah  "),  ending  in  plain 
but  massive  harmony. 

The  second  scene  is  in  Saul's  tent.  Two  bars  of  recita- 
tive prelude  an  aria  by  Michal,  Saul's  daughter,  who  re- 
veals her  love  for  David  ("O  god-like  youth  !  ").  Abner 
presents  David  to  Saul,  and  a  dialogue  ensues  between 
them,  in  which  the  conqueror  announces  his  origin,  and 
Saul  pleads  with  him  to  remain,  offering  the  hand  of  his 
daughter  Merab  as  an  inducement.  David,  whose  part  is 
sung  by  a  contralto,  replies  in  a  beautiful  aria,  in  which 
he  attributes  his  success  to  the  help  of  the  Lord  alone.  In 
the  next  four  numbers  the  friendship  of  Jonathan  and 
David  is  cemented,  which  is  followed  by  a  three-verse 
hymn  ("  While  yet  thy  tide  of  blood  runs  high  ")  of  a 
stately  character,  sung  by  the  High  Priest.  In  a  few  bars 
of  recitative  Saul  betroths  his  daughter  Merab  to  David  ; 
but  the  girl  replies  in  a  vigorous  aria  ("  My  soul  rejects 
the  thought  with  scorn  "),  in  which  she  declares  her  inten- 
tion of  frustrating  the  scheme  to  unite  a  plebeian  with  the 
royal  line.  It  is  followed  by  a  plaintive  but  vigorous  aria 
("See  with  what  a  scornful  air"),  sung  by  Michal,  who 
again  gives  expression  to  her  love  for  David. 

The  next  scene  is  entitled  "  Before  an  Israelitish  City," 
and  is  prefaced  with  a  short  symphony  of  a  jubilant  char- 
acter. A  brief  recitative  introduces  the  maidens  of  the 
land  singing  and  dancing  in  praise  of  the  victor,  leading 
up  to  one  of  Handel's  finest  choruses  ("  Welcome,  wel- 
come, mighty  king"),  —  a  fresh,  vigorous  semi-chorus 
accompanied  by  the  carillons,  in  which  Saul's  jealousy  is 
aroused  by  the  superiority  of  prowess  attributed  to  David. 
It  is  followed  by  a  furious  aria  ("With  rage  I  shall  burst, 
his  praises  to  hear  ").  Jonathan  laments  the  imprudence 
of  the  women  in  making  comparisons,  and  Michal  sug- 
gests to  David  that  it  is  an  old  malady  which  may  be  as- 
suaged by  music,  and  in  an  aria  ("  Fell  rage  and  black 


206     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

despair")  expresses  her  belief  that  the  monarch  can  be 
cured  by  David's  "  persuasive  lyre." 

The  next  scene  is  in  the  King's  house.  David  sings 
an  aria  ("  O  Lord,  whose  mercies  numberless  "),  followed 
by  a  harp  solo ;  but  it  is  in  vain.  Jonathan  is  in  despair, 
and  Saul,  in  an  aria  ("  A  serpent  in  my  bosom  warmed  "), 
gives  vent  to  his  fury  and  hurls  his  javelin  at  David.  The 
latter  escapes ;  and  in  furious  recitative  Saul  charges  his 
son  to  destroy  him.  The  next  number  is  an  aria  for 
Merab  ("  Capricious  man,  in  humor  lost "),  lamenting 
Saul's  temper;  and  Jonathan  follows  with  a  dramatic 
recitative  and  aria,  in  which  he  refuses  to  obey  his  father's 
behest.  The  High  Priest  appeals  to  Heaven  ("O  Lord, 
whose  providence  ")  to  protect  David,  and  the  first  part 
closes  with  a  powerful  chorus  ("  Preserve  him  for  the  glory 
of  Thy  name  "). 

The  second  part  is  laid  in  the  palace,  and  opens  with 
a  powerfully  descriptive  chorus  ("  Envy,  eldest-born  of 
hell !  ").  In  a  noble  song  ("  But  sooner  Jordan's  stream, 
I  swear")  Jonathan  assures  David  he  will  never  injure 
him.  In  a  colloquy  between  them  David  is  informed 
that  Saul  has  bestowed  the  hand  of  the  haughty  Merab 
on  Adriel,  and  Jonathan  pleads  the  cause  of  the  lovely 
Michal.  Saul  approaches,  and  David  retires.  Saul  in- 
quires of  Jonathan  whether  he  has  obeyed  his  commands, 
and  in  a  simple,  sweet,  and  flowing  melody  ("  Sin  not,  O 
king,  against  the  youth ")  he  seems  to  overcome  the 
wrath  of  the  monarch,  who  dissembles  and  welcomes 
David,  bidding  him  to  repel  the  insults  of  the  Philistines, 
and  offering  him  his  daughter  Michal  as  a  proof  of  his 
sincerity. 

In  the  second  scene  Michal  declares  her  love  for  David, 
and  they  join  in  a  rapturous  duet  ("  O  fairest  of  ten  thou- 
sand fair"),  which  is  followed  by  a  chorus  in  simple  har- 
mony ("Is  there  a  man  who  all  his  ways").  A  long 


HANDEL  207 

symphony  follows,  preparing  the  way  for  the  attempt  on 
David's  life.  After  an  agitated  duet  with  Michal  ("  At 
persecution  I  can  laugh  "),  David  makes  his  escape  just 
as  Doeg,  the  messenger,  enters  with  instructions  to  bring 
David  to  the  King's  chamber.  He  is  shown  the  image  in 
David's  bed,  which  he  says  will  only  enrage  the  King  still 
more.  Michal  sings  an  exultant  aria  ("  No,  let  the  guilty 
tremble  "),  and  even  Merab,  won  over  by  David's  quali- 
ties, pleads  for  him  in  a  beautiful  aria  ("  Author  of  peace  ") . 
Another  symphony  intervenes,  preluding  the  celebration 
of  the  feast  of  the  new  moon  in  the  palace,  to  which 
David  has  been  invited.  Jonathan  again  interposes  with 
an  effort  to  save  David's  life,  whereupon  Saul,  in  a  fresh 
outburst  of  indignation,  hurls  his  javelin  at  his  son,  and 
the  chorus  bursts  out  in  horror  ("  Oh,  fatal  consequence 
of  rage !  "). 

The  third  part  opens  with  the  intensely  dramatic  scene 
with  the  Witch  of  Endor,  the  interview  being  preluded  by 
the  powerful  recitative,  "  Wretch  that  I  am  ! "  The  second 
scene  is  laid  in  the  Witch's  abode,  where  the  incantation 
is  practised  that  brings  up  the  apparition  of  Samuel.  The 
whole  scene  is  very  dramatic,  and  the  instrumentation 
powerful,  although  the  effect  is  made  simply  by  oboes, 
bassoons,  and  strings,  instead  of  by  the  brass  instruments 
which  other  composers  employ  so  vigorously  in  similar 
scenes.  This  scene  closes  with  an  elegy  foreboding  the 
coming  tragedy. 

The  third  scene  opens  with  the  interview  between 
David  and  the  Amalekite  who  brings  the  tidings  of  the 
death  of  Saul  and  Jonathan.  It  is  followed  by  that  mag- 
nificent dirge,  the  "  Dead  March,"  whose  simple  yet  sol- 
emn and  majestic  strains  are  familiar  to  every  one.  The 
trumpets  and  trombones  with  their  sonorous  pomp  and 
the  wailing  oboes  and  clarinets  make  an  instrumental  pag- 
eant which  is  the  very  apotheosis  of  grief.  The  effect  of 


2o8     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

the  march  is  all  the  more  remarkable  when  it  is  considered 
that,  in  contradistinction  to  all  other  dirges,  it  is  written  in 
the  major  key.  The  chorus  ("  Mourn,  Israel,  mourn  thy 
beauty  lost  "),  and  the  three  arias  of  lament  sung  by 
David,  which  follow,  are  all  characterized  by  feelings  of 
the  deepest  gloom.  A  short  chorus  ("  Eagles  were  not 
so  swift  as  they")  follows,  and  then  David  gives  voice  to 
his  lament  over  Jonathan  in  an  aria  of  exquisite  tenderness 
("  In  sweetest  harmony  they  lived  "),  at  the  close  of  which 
he  joins  with  the  chorus  in  an  obligate  of  sorrowful  gran- 
deur ("  Oh,  fatal  day,  how  low  the  mighty  lie  !  ").  In  an 
exultant  strain  Abner  bids  the  "  men  of  Judah  weep  no 
more,"  and  the  animated  martial  chorus  ("  Gird  on  thy 
sword,  thou  man  of  might ")  closes  this  great  dramatic 
oratorio. 

SAMSON 

The  oratorio  of  "  Samson  "  was  written  in  1 74 1,  and  be- 
gun immediately  after  the  completion  of  "  The  Messiah," 
which  was  finished  September  14  of  that  year.  The  last 
chorus  was  dated  October  29  ;  but  in  the  following  year 
Handel  added  to  it  "  Let  the  bright  seraphim  "  and  the 
chorus,  "  Let  their  celestial  concerts."  The  text  was 
compiled  by  Newburgh  Hamilton  from  Milton's  "  Samson 
Agonistes,"  "  Hymn  on  the  Nativity,"  and  "  Lines  on  a 
Solemn  Musick."  The  oratorio  was  first  sung  at  Covent 
Garden,  February  18,  1743,  the  principal  parts  being  as- 
signed as  follows :  Samson,  Mr.  Beard ;  Manoah,  Mr. 
Savage;  Micah,  Mrs.  Gibber;  Delilah,  Mrs.  Clive. 

The  characters  introduced  are  Samson;  Micah,  his 
friend ;  Manoah,  his  father ;  Delilah,  his  wife ;  Harapha, 
a  giant  of  Gath;  Israelitish  woman;  priests  of  Dagon; 
virgins  attendant  upon  Delilah  ;  Israelites,  friends  of  Sam- 
son ;  Israelitish  virgins  ;  and  Philistines.  After  a  brilliant 
overture  the  scene  opens  before  the  prison  in  Gaza,  with 


MADAME  NOVELLO 

(From  an  old  print) 


HANDEL  209 

Samson  blind  and  in  chains.  His  opening  recitative,  set- 
ting forth  his  release  from  toil  on  account  of  the  feast  to 
Dagon,  introduces  a  brilliant  and  effective  chorus  by 
the  priests  with  trumpets  ("Awake  the  trumpet's  lofty 
sound"),  after  which  a  Philistine  woman  in  a  bright, 
playful  melody  invites  the  men  of  Gaza  to  bring  "  The 
merry  pipe  and  pleasing  string  "  ;  whereupon  the  trumpet 
chorus  is  repeated.  After  the  tenor  aria  ("  Loud  is  the 
thunder's  awful  voice  "),  the  chorus  recurs  again,  show- 
ing Handel's  evident  partiality  for  it.  The  Philistine 
woman  has  another  solo  ("Then  free  from  sorrow"), 
whereupon  in  a  pathetic  song  ("  Torments,  alas  !  ")  Sam- 
son bewails  his  piteous  condition.  His  friend  Micah  ap- 
pears, and  in  the  aria,  "  Oh,  mirror  of  our  fickle  state," 
condoles  with  him.  In  answer  to  his  question,  "  Which 
shall  we  first  bewail,  thy  bondage,  or  lost  sight?"  Samson 
replies  in  a  short,  but  exquisitely  tender  aria  ("  Total 
eclipse :  no  sun,  no  moon,  all  dark  amidst  the  blaze  of 
noon  "),  —  a  song  which  brought  tears  to  the  eyes  of  the 
blind  Handel  himself  when  he  listened  to  it  long  after- 
wards. The  next  chorus  ("  Oh,  first-created  beam  ")  is  of 
more  than  ordinary  interest,  as  it  treats  the  same  subject 
which  Haydn  afterwards  used  in  "The  Creation."  It 
begins  in  a  soft  and  quiet  manner,  in  ordinary  time,  de- 
velops into  a  strong  allegro  on  the  words,  "  Let  there  be 
light,"  and  closes  with  a  spirited  fugue  on  the  words,  "  To 
Thy  dark  servant  life  by  light  afford."  A  dialogue  fol- 
lows between  Manoah  and  Micah,  leading  up  to  an  intri- 
cate bravura  aria  for  bass  ("  Thy  glorious  deeds  inspired 
my  tongue"),  closing  with  an  exquisite  slow  movement 
in  broad  contrast  to  its  first  part.  Though  comforted  by 
his  friends,  Samson  breaks  out  in  furious  denunciation  of 
his  enemies  in  the  powerfully  dramatic  aria,  "  Why  does 
the  God  of  Israel  sleep?"  It  is  followed  up  in  the  same 
spirit  by  the  chorus,  "  Then  shall  they  know,"  —  a  fugue 

'4 


210     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

on  two  vigorous  subjects,  the  first  given  out  by  the  altos, 
and  the  second  by  the  tenors.  Samson's  wrath  subsides  in 
the  recitative  ("  My  genial  spirits  droop  "),  and  the  first 
act  closes  with  the  beautifully  constructed  chorus  ("Then 
round  about  the  starry  throne  "),  in  which  his  friends  con- 
sole him  with  the  joys  he  will  find  in  another  life. 

The  second  part,  after  a  brief  recitative,  opens  with  an 
aria  by  Manoah  ("Just  are  the  ways  of  God  to  man"),  in 
which  he  conjures  Samson  to  repose  his  trust  in  God.  It 
is  followed  by  the  beautiful  prayer  of  Micah  ("  Return, 
return,  O  God  of  Hosts  "),  emphasized  by  the  chorus  to 
which  it  leads  ("To  dust  his  glory  they  would  tread"), 
with  which  the  prayer  is  interwoven  in  obligato  form. 
From  this  point,  as  Delilah  appears,  the  music  is  full  of 
bright  color,  and  loses  its  sombre  tone.  In  a  short  recita- 
tive she  excuses  her  misdeed,  and  then  breaks  out  in  an 
aria  of  sensuous  sweetness  ("  With  plaintive  notes  and 
am'rous  moan,  thus  coos  the  turtle  left  alone  ").  Its  be- 
witching grace,  however,  makes  little  impression  upon 
Samson,  who  replies  with  the  aria,  "  Your  charms  to  ruin 
led  the  way."  In  another  enticing  melody  ("  My  faith 
and  truth,  O  Samson,  prove  "),  she  seeks  to  induce  him 
to  return  to  her  house,  and  a  chorus  of  virgins  add  their 
entreaties.  A  last  effort  is  made  in  the  tasteful  and  elegant 
aria,  "  To  fleeting  pleasures  make  your  court "  ;  but  when 
that  also  fails,  Delilah  reveals  her  true  self.  Samson  re- 
bukes "her  warbling  charms,"  her  "trains  and  wiles,"  and 
counts  "  this  prison-house  the  house  of  liberty  to  thine  "  ; 
whereupon  a  highly  characteristic  duet  ensues  ("  Traitor 
to  love  ").  An  aria  for  Micah  follows  ("  It  is  nor  virtue, 
valor,  wit"),  leading  up  to  a  powerful  dissertation  on 
masculine  supremacy  in  a  fugued  chorus  which  is  treated 
in  a  spirited  manner.  The  giant  Harapha  now  appears, 
and  mocks  Samson  with  the  taunt  that  had  he  met  him 
before  he  was  blind,  he  would  have  left  him  dead  on  the 


HANDEL  211 

field  of  death,  "where  thou  wrought'st  wonders  with  an 
ass'  jaw."  His  first  number  ("  Honor  and  arms  scorn 
such  a  foe  ")  is  one  of  the  most  spirited  and  dashing  bass 
solos  ever  written.  Samson  replies  with  the  majestic  aria, 
"  My  strength  is  from  the  living  God."  The  two  solos 
reach  their  climax  in  the  energetic  duet  between  the  giants 
("  Go,  baffled  coward,  go  ").  Micah  then  suggests  to 
Harapha  that  he  shall  call  upon  Dagon  to  dissolve  "  those 
magic  spells  that  gave  our  hero  strength,"  as  a  test  of  his 
power.  The  recitative  is  followed  by  an  impressive  six-part 
chorus  ("  Hear,  Jacob's  God  ")  in  the  true  church  style. 
Its  smooth,  quiet  flow  of  harmony  is  refreshing  as  com- 
pared with  the  tumult  of  the  giants'  music  which  precedes, 
and  the  senuousness  of  the  chorus  ("  To  song  and  dance 
we  give  the  day  ")  which  follows  it.  The  act  closes  with 
the  massive  double  chorus  ("  Fixed  in  His  everlasting 
seat ")  in  which  the  Israelites  and  Philistines  celebrate  the 
attributes  of  their  respective  deities  and  invoke  their  pro- 
tection, and  in  which  also  the  composer  brings  out  with 
overwhelming  effect  the  majesty  and  grandeur  of  God  as 
compared  with  the  nothingness  of  Dagon. 

The  third  part  opens  with  a  dialogue  in  which  Harapha 
brings  the  message  to  Samson  that  he  must  repair  to  the 
feast  of  Dagon  to  delight  the  Philistines  with  some  of  his 
feats  of  strength.  Upon  Samson's  refusal,  Harapha  sings 
the  threatening  aria,  "  Presuming  slave  !  "  The  Israelites 
invoke  the  protection  of  God  in  the  spirited  chorus,  "  With 
thunder  armed,"  closing  with  a  prayer  which  changes  to 
wild  and  supplicating  entreaty.  Samson  at  last  yields  in  a 
tender,  pathetic  aria  ("  Thus  when  the  sun  "),  which  seems 
to  anticipate  his  fate.  In  a  song  of  solemn  parting  ("  The 
Holy  One  of  Israel  be  thy  guide  "),  accompanied  by  the 
chorus  ("  To  fame  immortal  go "),  his  friends  bid  him 
farewell.  The  festivities  begin,  and  in  an  exultant  chorus 
("  Great  Dagon  has  subdued  our  foe  ")  the  Philistines  are 


212     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

heard  exulting  over  Samson's  discomfiture.  Micah  and 
Manoah,  hearing  the  sounds,  are  filled  with  anxiety,  and 
the  latter  expresses  his  solicitude  in  the  tender  aria,  "  How 
willing  my  paternal  love."  But  the  scene  suddenly 
changes.  In  a  short,  crashing  presto  the  coming  destruc- 
tion is  anticipated.  The  trembling  Israelites  express  their 
alarm  in  the  chorus,  "  Hear  us,  our  God,"  and  appeal  to 
Heaven  for  protection.  A  messenger  rushes  upon  the 
scene  and  announces  that  Samson  is  dead  and  has  involved 
the  destruction  of  his  enemies  in  the  general  calamity. 
Micah  gives  expression  to  his  grief  in  the  touching  aria 
"Ye  sons  of  Israel,  now  lament,"  followed  by  the  Israelites 
in  a  sorrowful  wail  ("Weep,  Israel,  weep").  A  funeral 
march,  in  the  major  key,  intervenes,  full  of  tender  expres- 
sion of  sorrow,  —  for  which,  after  the  first  two  representa- 
tions, Handel  substituted  the  Dead  March  from  "  Saul," 
and  both  marches  are  now  printed  in  the  scores  for  gen- 
eral use.  As  at  first  written,  the  oratorio  closed  with  the 
effective  chorus  and  solo,  "  Bring  the  laurels " ;  but  a 
year  afterwards  Handel  made  a  different  ending.  Manoah 
calls  upon  the  people  to  cease  their  lamentation,  and  the 
funeral  pageant  is  followed  by  the  magnificent  trumpet  aria, 
"  Let  the  bright  seraphim,"  —  a  song  worthy  only  of  the 
greatest  artists,  both  with  voice  and  instrument,  —  and 
the  equally  magnificent  chorus  "  Let  their  celestial  con- 
certs," which  closes  the  great  oratorio  with  triumphant 
exultation. 

THE   MESSIAH 

"The  Messiah"  represents  the  ripened  product  of 
Handel's  genius,  and  reflects  the  noblest  aspirations  and 
most  exalted  devotion  of  mankind.  Among  all  his  ora- 
torios it  retains  its  original  freshness,  vigor,  and  beauty  in 
the  highest  degree,  in  that  it  appeals  to  the  loftiest  senti- 
ment and  to  universal  religious  devotion,  and  is  based 


HANDEL  213 

upon  the  most  harmonious,  symmetrical,  and  enduring 
forms  of  the  art.  It  was  begun  on  the  twenty-second 
day  of  August,  1741,  and  finished  on  the  following  Sep- 
tember 14.  It  is  an  illustration  of  Handel's  almost  super- 
human capacity  for  work,  that  at  the  age  of  fifty-six  he 
should  have  written  his  masterpiece  in  twenty-three  days. 
The  text  was  taken  from  the  literal  words  of  Scripture, 
and  the  libretto  arranged  by  Charles  Jennens,  who,  singu- 
larly enough,  was  not  satisfied  with  the  music  which  has 
satisfied  the  world.  In  a  letter  written  at  that  time  he 
says : — 

"  I  shall  show  you  a  collection  I  gave  Handel,  called  '  Mes- 
siah,' which  I  value  highly.  He  has  made  a  fine  entertain- 
ment of  it,  though  not  near  so  good  as  he  might  and  ought  to 
have  done.  I  have  with  great  difficulty  made  him  correct 
some  of  the  grossest  faults  in  the  composition ;  but  he  re- 
tained his  overture  obstinately,  in  which  there  are  some  pas- 
sages far  unworthy  of  Handel,  but  much  more  unworthy  of 
the  'Messiah.'" 

The  first  public  performance  took  place  April  12, 1742, 
and  was  thus  announced  :  — 

"  For  the  Relief  of  the  Prisoners  in  the  several  Gaols,  and 
for  the  Support  of  Mercer's  Hospital,  in  Stephen's  Street,  and 
of  the  Charitable  Infirmary  on  the  Inn's  Quay,  on  Monday, 
the  twelfth  of  April,  will  be  performed  at  the  Musick  Hall  in 
Fishamble-street,  Mr.  Handel's  new  Grand  Oratorio,  called 
the  Messiah,  in  which  the  Gentlemen  of  the  Choirs  of  both 
Cathedrals  will  assist,  with  some  Concertos  on  the  Organ  by 
Mr.  Handel." 

"The  Messiah"  was  performed  thirty- four  times  during 
the  composer's  life,  but  never  upon  a  scale  commensurate 
with  its  merits  until  the  Handel  Commemoration  at  West- 
minster Abbey  in  1 784,  when  the  largest  choir  and  band 
that  had  ever  assembled  before,  with  the  renowned 


2i4     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

Madame  Mara  at  the  head  of  the  soloists,  first  gave  the 
oratorio  to  the  world  in  accordance  with  the  grand  ideal 
of  the  composer.  The  orchestra  was  composed  as  fol- 
lows:  First  violins,  40;  second  violins,  47;  tenors,  26; 
first  oboes,  13  ;  second  oboes,  13  ;  flutes,  6;  violoncellos, 
21  ;  double-basses,  15  ;  bassoons,  26  ;  double-bassoon,  i ; 
trumpets,  12;  trombones,  6;  horns,  12;  kettle-drums,  3; 
double-kettle-drum,  i  :  total,  242.  The  choir  was  made 
up  as  follows  :  Sopranos,  60,  of  whom  45  were  choir-boys ; 
counter-tenors  (altos),  40;  tenors,  83;  basses,  84:  mak- 
ing the  entire  number  of  singers  267. 

The  oratorio  is  divided  into  three  parts.  The  first 
illustrates  the  longing  of  the  world  for  the  Messiah,  proph- 
esies his  coming,  and  announces  his  birth;  the  second 
part  is  devoted  to  the  sufferings,  death,  and  exaltation  of 
Christ,  and  develops  the  spread  and  ultimate  triumph  of 
the  Gospel ;  while  the  third  is  occupied  with  the  declara- 
tion of  the  highest  truths  of  doctrine,  —  faith  in  the  exist- 
ence of  God,  the  surety  of  immortal  life,  the  resurrection, 
and  the  attainment  of  an  eternity  of  happiness. 

The  first  part  opens  with  an  overture,  or  rather  orches- 
tral prelude,  of  majestic  chords,  leading  to  a  short  fugue, 
developed  with  severe  simplicity  and  preparing  the  way 
for  the  accompanied  recitative  ("  Comfort  ye  my  people  "), 
and  the  aria  for  tenor  ("Every  valley  shall  be  exalted"), 
which  in  turn  leads  to  the  full,  strong  chorus  ("And 
the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed"),  —  the  three 
numbers  in  reality  forming  one.  The  prophecy  is  an- 
nounced, only  to  be  followed  by  the  human  apprehension 
in  the  great  aria  for  bass  ("  But  who  may  abide  the  day 
of  His  coming?"),  written  in  the  Sicilian  pastoral  style. 
The  aria  leads  to  the  exquisitely  constructed  number,  "  And 
He  shall  purify,"  a  fugued  chorus  closing  in  simple  harmony. 
Once  more  the  prophet  announces,  "  Behold,  a  virgin  shall 
conceive,"  followed  by  the  alto  solo,  "  O  Thou  that 


L 


MADAME  MARA 


HANDEL  215 

tellest,"  which  preludes  a  chorus  in  the  same  tempo. 
The  next  aria  ("The  people  that  walked  in  darkness"), 
with  its  curious  but  characteristic  modulations  leads  to  one 
of  the  most  graphic  fugued  choruses  in  the  whole  work 
("For  unto  us  a  child  is  born"),  elegantly  interwoven 
with  the  violin  parts,  and  emphasized  with  sublime  an- 
nouncements of  the  names  of  the  Messiah  in  full  harmony 
and  with  the  strongest  choral  power.  The  grand  burst  of 
sound  dies  away,  there  is  a  significant  pause,  and  then  fol- 
lows a  short  but  exquisite  pastoral  symphony  for  the 
strings,  which  with  the  four  succeeding  bits  of  recitative 
tells  the  message  of  the  angels  to  the  shepherds  on  the 
plains  of  Bethlehem.  Suddenly  follows  the  chorus  of 
the  heavenly  hosts  ("Glory  to  God  "),  which  is  remark- 
ably expressive,  and  affords  sharp  contrasts  in  the  succes- 
sive clear  responses  to  the  fugue.  The  difficult  but  very 
brilliant  aria  for  soprano  ("Rejoice  greatly  "),  the  lovely 
aria  "  He  shall  feed  His  flock,"  originally  written  entire 
for  soprano,  in  which  Handel  returns  again  to  the  pas- 
toral style,  and  a  short  chorus  ("His  yoke  is  easy"), 
close  the  first  part. 

The  second  part  is  the  most  impressive  portion  of  the 
work.  It  begins  with  a  majestic  and  solemn  chorus 
("  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  "),  which  is  followed  by  the 
aria  for  alto  ("  He  was  despised  "),  — one  of  the  most  pa- 
thetic and  deeply  expressive  songs  ever  written,  in  which 
the  very  key-note  of  sorrow  is  struck.  Two  choruses 
—  "  Surely  He  hath  borne  our  griefs,"  rather  intricate  in 
harmony,  and  "  With  His  stripes  we  are  healed,"  a  fugued 
chorus  written  a  capella  upon  an  admirable  subject  —  lead 
to  the  spirited  and  thoroughly  interesting  chorus,  "  All  we 
like  sheep  have  gone  astray,"  closing  with  an  adagio  of 
great  beauty  ("And  the  Lord  hath  laid  on  Him  the 
iniquity  of  us  all").  This  is  followed  by  several  short 
numbers,  —  a  choral  fugue  ("  He  trusted  in  God  "),  the 


216     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

accompanied  recitative  ("Thy  rebuke  hath  broken  His 
heart"),  a  short  but  very  pathetic  aria  for  tenor  ("Be- 
hold and  see  if  there  be  any  sorrow"),  and  an  aria  for 
soprano  ("But  Thou  didst  not  leave  His  soul  in  hell"), 
—  all  of  which  are  remarkable  instances  of  the  musical 
expression  of  sorrow  and  pity.  These  numbers  lead  to  a 
triumphal  shout  in  the  chorus  and  semi-choruses  ("  Lift 
up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates  !  ")  which  reach  a  climax  of 
magnificent  power  and  strongly  contrasted  effects.  After 
the  chorus,  "  Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship  him,"  a 
fugue  constructed  upon  two  subjects,  the  aria,  "  Thou  art 
gone  up  on  high,"  and  the  chorus,  "The  Lord  gave  the 
word,"  we  reach  another  pastoral  aria  of  great  beauty, 
"  How  beautiful  are  the  feet."  This  is  followed  by  a 
powerfully  descriptive  chorus  ("  Their  sound  is  gone  out 
into  all  lands"),  a  massive  aria  for  bass  ("Why  do  the 
nations"),  the  chorus  ("Let  us  break  their  bonds  asun- 
der"), and  the  aria  ("Thou  shalt  break  them  "),  leading 
directly  to  the  great  "  Hallelujah  Chorus,"  which  is  the 
triumph  of  the  work  and  its  real  climax.  It  opens  with 
exultant  shouts  of  "  Hallelujah."  Then  ensue  three 
simple  phrases,  the  middle  one  in  plain  counterpoint, 
which  form  the  groundwork  for  the  "  Hallelujah."  These 
phrases,  seemingly  growing  out  of  each  other,  and  reit- 
erated with  constantly  increasing  power,  interweaving  with 
and  sustaining  the  "  Hallelujah  "  with  wonderful  harmonic 
effects,  make  up  a  chorus  that  has  never  been  excelled, 
not  only  in  musical  skill,  but  also  in  grandeur  and  sub- 
limity. After  listening  to  its  performance,  one  can  under- 
stand Handel's  words :  "  I  did  think  I  did  see  all  heaven 
before  me,  and  the  great  God  himself."  This  number 
closes  the  second  part.  It  is  worthy  of  note  in  this  con- 
nection that  when  the  oratorio  was  first  performed  at 
Covent  Garden,  London,  in  1 743,  the  whole  audience,  with 
the  King  at  its  head,  arose  during  the  singing  of  the 


HANDEL  217 

"  Hallelujah  "  and  remained  standing  until  it  was  finished, 
—  a  custom  which  is  still  observed,  not  only  in  England, 
but  also  in  the  United  States. 

If  the  oratorio  had  closed  at  this  point,  the  unities  would 
have  been  preserved,  but  Handel  carried  it  into  a  third 
part  with  undiminished  interest,  opening  it  with  that  sub- 
lime confession  of  faith  ("I  know  that  my  Redeemer 
liveth  ").  It  is  followed  by  two  quartettes  in  plain  counter- 
point with  choral  responses  ("  Since  by  man  came  death," 
and  "For  as  in  Adam  all  die  "),  in  which  the  effects  of 
contrast  are  very  forcibly  brought  out.  The  last  im- 
portant aria  in  the  work  ("The  trumpet  shall  sound"), 
for  bass  with  trumpet  obligato,  will  always  be  admired  for 
its  beauty  and  stirring  effect.  The  oratorio  closes  with 
three  choruses,  all  in  the  same  key  and  of  the  same 
general  sentiment,  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb,"  a  piece  of 
smooth,  flowing  harmony ;  "  Blessing  and  honor,"  a  fugue 
led  off  by  the  tenors  and  bassos  in  unison,  and  repeated 
by  the  sopranos  and  altos  on  the  octave,  closing  with  full 
harmony  on  the  words  "  for  ever  and  ever  "  several  times 
reiterated  ;  and  the  final  "  Amen  "  chorus,  which  is  treated 
in  the  severest  style,  and  in  which  the  composer  evidently 
gave  free  rein  to  his  genius,  not  being  hampered  with  the 
trammels  of  words. 

Other  oratorios  may  be  compared  one  with  another; 
"The  Messiah"  stands  alone,  a  majestic  monument  to 
the  memory  of  the  composer,  an  imperishable  record  of 
the  noblest  sentiments  of  human  nature  and  the  highest 
aspirations  of  man. 

JUDAS  MACCABEUS 

The  oratorio  of  "Judas  Maccabaeus"  was  written  in 
thirty-two  days,  between  July  9  and  August  n,  1746, 
upon  the  commission  of  Frederic,  Prince  of  Wales,  to 
celebrate  the  return  of  the  Duke  of  Cumberland  from 


218     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

Scotland  after  the  decisive  victory  of  Culloden,  April  16, 

1746.  The   words   were    written    by  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Morell,  D.D.,  a  learned  Greek  scholar  of  that  time,  the 
plot  being  taken  from  the  narrative  of  the  exploits  of  the 
Jewish  deliverer  contained  in  the  first  book  of  Maccabees 
and  in  the  twelfth  book  of  Josephus*  "  Antiquities  of  the 
Jews."     It  was  first  performed  at  Covent  Garden,  April  i, 

1747,  and  was  repeated  six  times  that  year.     Handel  him- 
self conducted    it    thirty-eight   times   with   ever-growing 
popularity,  to  which  the  Jews  contributed  greatly,  as  it 
glorified  an  episode  in  their  national  history.     The  char- 
acters   represented   are   Judas    Maccabaeus;    Simon,    his 
brother ;    an  Israelitish   messenger ;  and  Israelitish  men 
and  women. 

The  first  scene  introduces  the  Israelitish  men  and 
women  lamenting  the  death  of  the  father  of  Judas  in  the 
sorrowful  chorus  ("  Mourn,  ye  afflicted  children  "),  which, 
after  a  duet  for  soprano  and  tenor,  is  followed  by  still 
another  chorus  in  a  similar  strain  ("  For  Zion  lamentation 
make  "),  but  much  more  impressive,  and  rising  to  a  more 
powerful  climax.  After  a  brief  and  simple  soprano  solo 
("Pious  orgies"),  the  chorus  sings  the  prayer  ("O 
Father,  whose  almighty  power"),  closing  with  a  charac- 
teristic fugue  on  the  words,  "  And  grant  a  leader."  After 
a  short  recitative,  Simon,  bass,  breaks  out  in  the  heroic 
and  sonorous  aria,  "Arm,  arm,  ye  brave!"  which  has 
always  retained  its  popularity,  notwithstanding  its  antique 
bravura.  It  is  followed  by  the  chorus  in  the  brief  but  stir- 
ring number,  "  We  come  in  bright  array."  Five  arias,  a 
duet,  and  two  choruses,  nearly  all  of  which  are  now  omitted 
in  performances,  being  of  the  same  general  character,  and 
mainly  apostrophes  to  liberty  lead  to  the  great  chorus 
closing  the  first  part  ("  Hear  us,  O  Lord  !  "). 

The  second  part  opens  with  the  Israelites  celebrating 
the  return  of  Judas  from  the  victories  over  Apollonius  and 


HANDEL  219 

Seron.  An  instrumental  prelude,  picturing  the  scenes  of 
battle,  leads  directly  to  the  great  chorus,  the  best  in  the 
work  ("  Fallen  is  the  foe  ").  The  triumphant  declaration 
is  made  over  and  over  with  constantly  increasing  energy, 
finally  leading  to  a  brilliant  fugue  on  the  words,  "  Where 
warlike  Judas  wields  his  righteous  sword  " ;  but  inter- 
woven with  it  are  still  heard  those  notes  of  victory, 
"  Fallen  is  the  foe,"  and  the  response,  "  So  fall  Thy 
foes."  The  Israelitish  man  sings  a  vigorous  tribute  to 
Judas  ("So  rapid  thy  course  is").  The  triumphant 
strain  ("Zion  now  her  head  shall  raise  ")  is  taken  by  two 
voices,  closing  with  the  soprano  alone ;  but  before  her 
part  ends,  the  whole  chorus  takes  it  and  joins  in  the  paean, 
"Tune  your  harps,"  and  the  double  number  ends  in  broad, 
flowing  harmony.  In  a  florid  number  ("  From  mighty 
kings  he  took  the  spoil")  the  Israelitish  worn  an  once  more 
sings  Judas's  praise.  The  two  voices  unite  in  a  welcome 
("Hail  Judsea,  happy  land"),  and  finally  the  whole 
chorus  join  in  a  simple  but  jubilant  acclaim  to  the  same 
words.  The  rejoicings  soon  change  to  expressions  of 
alarm  and  apprehension  as  a  messenger  enters  and  an- 
nounces that  Gorgias  has  been  sent  by  Antiochus  to  attack 
the  Israelites,  and  is  already  near  at  hand.  They  join  in 
a  chorus  expressive  of  deep  despondency  ("  Oh,  wretched 
Israel");  but  Simon,  in  a  spirited  aria  ("The  Lord 
worketh  wonders"),  bids  them  put  their  trust  in  Heaven, 
and  Judas  rouses  their  courage  with  the  martial  trumpet 
song,  "  Sound  an  alarm,"  which,  though  very  brief,  is  full 
of  vigor  and  fire.  After  the  departure  of  Judas  to  meet 
the  foe,  Simon,  the  Israelitish  man,  and  the  Israelitish 
woman  follow  each  other  in  denunciation  of  the  idolatries 
which  have  been  practised  by  the  heathen  among  them, 
and  close  with  the  splendid  chorus,  "  We  never  will  bow 
down  to  the  rude  stock  or  sculptured  stone,"  in  which 
vigorous  repetitions  of  the  opening  phrase  lead  to  a 


220     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

chorale  in  broad,  impressive  harmony,  with  which  is  in- 
terwoven equally  vigorous  repetitions  of  the  phrase,  "  We 
worship  God  alone." 

The  third  part  opens  with  the  impressive  prayer  ("  Fa- 
ther of  Heaven,  from  Thy  eternal  throne"),  sung  by  the 
priest.  As  the  fire  ascends  from  the  altar,  the  sanctuary 
having  been  purified  of  its  heathen  defilement,  the  Israelites 
look  upon  it  as  an  omen  of  victory  and  take  courage.  A 
messenger  enters  with  tidings  of  Judas's  triumph  over  all 
their  enemies.  The  Jsraelitish  maidens  and  youths  go 
out  to  meet  him,  singing  the  exultant  march  chorus  ("  See 
the  conquering  hero  comes"),  which  is  familiar  to  every 
one  by  its  common  use  on  all  occasions,  from  Handel's 
time  to  this,  where  tribute  has  been  paid  to  martial  success 
and  heroes  have  been  welcomed.  It  is  the  universal  ac- 
companiment of  victory,  as  the  Dead  March  in  "  Saul " 
is  of  the  pageantry  of  death.  It  is  very  simple  in  its  con- 
struction, like  many  others  of  Handel's  most  effective 
numbers.  It  is  first  sung  as  a  three-part  chorus,  then  as 
a  duet  or  chorus  of  virgins,  again  by  the  full  power  of  all 
the  voices,  and  gradually  dies  away  in  the  form  of  an 
instrumental  march.  The  chorus  did  not  originally  be- 
long to  "Judas  Maccabaeus,"  but  to  "Joshua,"  in  which 
oratorio  it  is  addressed  to  Othniel  when  he  returns  from 
the  capture  of  Debir.  Handel  frequently  made  transfers 
of  that  kind,  and  this  was  a  permanent  one ;  for  the  cele- 
brated chorus  is  now  unalterably  identified  with  the  work 
in  which  he  placed  it,  and  in  which  also  the  setting  is  still 
more  imposing.  A  very  elaborate  chorus  ("Sing  unto 
God"),  a  florid  aria  with  trumpet  solo  for  Judas  ("With 
honor  let  desert  be  crowned"),  the  chorus  ("To  our 
great  God"),  a  pastoral  duet  with  exquisite  accompani- 
ment ("  Oh,  lovely  peace  !  "),  and  a  "  Hallelujah  "  in  the 
composer's  customary  exultant  style,  close  this  brilliant 
and  dramatic  oratorio. 


HANDEL  221 

THE  DETTINGEN  TE  DEUM 

On  the  twenty-seventh  of  June,  1743,  the  British  army 
and  its  allies,  under  the  command  of  King  George  II  and 
Lord  Stair,  won  a  victory  at  Dettingen,  in  Bavaria,  over  the 
French  army,  commanded  by  the  Marechal  de  Noailles 
and  the  Due  de  Grammont.  It  was  a  victory  plucked 
from  an  expected  defeat,  and  aroused  great  enthusiasm  in 
England.  On  the  King's  return  a  day  of  public  thanks- 
giving was  appointed,  and  Handel,  who  was  at  that  time 
"  Composer  of  Musick  to  the  Chapel  Royal,"  was  commis- 
sioned to  write  a  Te  Deum  and  an  anthem  for  the  occa- 
sion. The  original  score,  a  large  folio  volume  in  the 
Royal  Collection,  is  headed  "  Angefangen  Juli  17,  1743." 
There  is  no  date  at  the  end ;  but  as  the  beginning  of  the 
Dettingen  Anthem  is  dated  July  30,  it  is  probable  that 
the  Te  Deum  was  finished  between  the  seventeenth  and 
thirtieth.  Both  works  formed  part  of  the  thanksgiving 
services  on  the  twenty-seventh  at  the  Chapel  Royal  of  St. 
James,  in  the  presence  of  the  King  and  royal  family. 

The  Dettingen  Te  Deum  has  been  universally  consid- 
ered as  one  of  the  masterpieces  among  Handel's  later 
works.  Never  was  a  victory  more  enthusiastically  commem- 
orated in  music.  It  is  not  a  Te  Deum  in  the  strict  sense, 
but  a  grand  martial  panegyric.  It  contains  eighteen  short 
solos  and  choruses,  mostly  of  a  brilliant,  martial  character, 
the  solos  being  divided  between  the  alto,  barytone,  and 
bass.  After  a  brief  instrumental  prelude,  the  work  opens 
with  the  triumphant,  jubilant  chorus  with  trumpets  and 
drums  ("  We  praise  Thee,  O  God  "),  written  for  five  parts, 
the  sopranos  being  divided  into  firsts  and  seconds,  con- 
taining also  a  short  alto  solo  leading  to  a  closing  fugue. 
The  second  number  ("All  the  earth  doth  worship  Thee") 
is  also  an  alto  solo  with  five-part  chorus  of  the  same  gen- 
eral character.  It  is  followed  by  a  semi-chorus  in  three 


222     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

parts  ("  To  Thee  all  angels  cry  aloud"),  plaintive  in  style, 
and  leading  to  the  full  chorus  ("  To  Thee,  cherubim  and 
seraphim  "),  which  is  majestic  in  its  movement  and  rich 
in  harmony.  The  fifth  number  is  a  quartette  and  chorus 
("  The  glorious  company  of  the  Apostles  praise  Thee  "), 
dominated  by  the  bass,  with  responses  from  the  other 
parts,  and  followed  by  a  short,  full  chorus  ("  Thine  adorable, 
true,  and  only  Son  ").  The  seventh  number  is  a  stirring 
bass  solo  with  trumpets.  A  fanfare  of  trumpets  introduces 
the  next  four  numbers,  all  choruses.  In  this  group  the 
art  of  fugue  and  counterpoint  is  splendidly  illustrated, 
but  never  to  the  sacrifice  of  brilliant  effect,  which  is  also 
heightened  by  the  trumpets  in  the  accompaniments.  An 
impressive  bass  solo  ("  Vouchsafe,  O  Lord  ")  intervenes, 
and  then  the  trumpets  sound  the  stately  symphony  to  the 
final  chorus  ("O  Lord,  in  Thee  have  I  trusted").  It 
begins  with  a  long  alto  solo  with  delicate  oboe  accompani- 
ment that  makes  the  effect  very  impressive  when  voices 
and  instruments  take  up  the  phrase  in  a  magnificent  out- 
burst of  power  and  rich  harmony,  and  carry  it  to  the 
close. 


HATTON 

1809-1886 

ROBIN  HOOD 

THE  pastoral  cantata  "  Robin  Hood  "  was  written  for 
the  Bradford  (England)  Triennial  Festival  of  1856, 
Sims  Reeves  creating  the  part  of  the  hero.  Its  name 
suggests  the  well-known  story  of  the  greenwood  outlaw 
which  has  been  charmingly  versified  by  George  Linley  in 
the  libretto.  The  personages  are  Maid  Marian,  Robin 
Hood,  Little  John,  and  the  "  Bishop." 

The  cantata  opens  with  a  chorus  of  the  outlaws,  who 
vigorously  assert  their  independence  of  tribute,  laws,  and 
monarchs,  followed  by  a  bombastic  bass  aria  by  the 
Bishop  who  threatens  them  for  destroying  the  King's 
deer.  His  grandiloquence  is  speedily  interrupted  by  the 
outlaws,  with  Robin  at  their  head,  who  surround  him  with- 
out further  ado  and  make  him  the  butt  of  their  sport. 
Robin  Hood  sings  a  charmingly  melodious  ballad  ("  Un- 
der the  greenwood  tree  "),  in  which  the  Bishop  is  invited 
to  become  one  of  their  number  and  share  their  sylvan  en- 
joyments. A  trio  and  chorus  follow,  in  the  course  of 
which  the  Bishop  parts  with  his  personal  possessions  in 
favor  of  the  gentlemen  around  him  in  Lincoln  green  with 
"bent  bows."  A  chorus  ("Strike  the  harp")  also  in- 
forms us  that  the  ecclesiastic  is  forced  to  dance  for  the 
genial  band  much  against  his  will  as  well  as  his  dignity. 
Robin's  sentimentalizing  about  the  pleasures  under  the 
greenwood  tree  is  still  further  emphasized  by  a  madrigal 


224 

for  female  voices,  supposed  to  be  sung  by  the  forest  maid- 
ens, though  their  identity  is  not  very  clear,  as  Marian  was 
the  only  maid  that  accompanied  the  band.  After  the. 
plundering  scene  the  cantata  grows  more  passionate  in 
character,  describing  a  pretty  and  tender  love-scene  be- 
tween Robin  and  Marian,  which  is  somewhat  incongruous, 
whether  Marian  be  considered  as  the  outlaw's  mistress,  or, 
as  some  of  the  old  chroniclers  have  it,  his  wife  Matilda, 
who  changed  her  name  when  she  followed  him  into  the 
forest.  From  the  musical  standpoint,  however,  it  affords 
an  opportunity  for  another  graceful  ballad  of  sentiment, 
in  which  Marian  describes  her  heart  as  "  a  frail  bark  upon 
the  waters  of  love  " ;  a  duet  in  which  the  lovers  passion- 
ately declare  their  love  for  each  other  as  well  as  their 
delight  with  the  forest ;  and  a  final  chorus  of  the  band, 
jubilantly  proclaiming  their  hatred  of  kings  and  courtiers, 
and  their  loyalty  to  Robin  Hood  and  Maid  Marian. 


HAYDN 

1732-1809 

ARIADNE 

THE  cantata  "  Ariana  a  Naxos  "  was  written  in  1792, 
and  is  for  a  single  voice  with  orchestra.  As  an 
illustration  of  the  original  cantata  form,  it  is  one  of  the 
most  striking  and  perfect.  Its  story  is  an  episode  in  my- 
thology. When  Minos,  King  of  Crete,  had  vanquished 
the  Athenians,  he  imposed  upon  JEgens,  their  king,  the 
severe  penalty  that  seven  youths  should  be  annually  sent 
to  Crete  to  be  devoured  by  the  Minotaur.  In  the  fourth 
year  the  king's  son,  Theseus,  was  among  the  number. 
He  was  more  fortunate  than  his  predecessors,  for  he  slew 
the  Minotaur  and  was  rescued  from  the  labyrinth  by  fol- 
lowing the  thread  of  Ariadne,  daughter  of  Minos,  who 
had  conceived  a  violent  passion  for  the  handsome  warrior, 
conqueror  of  Centaurs  and  Amazons.  Upon  his  return  to 
Athens  she  accompanied  him  as  far  as  the  island  Naxos, 
where  the  ungrateful  wretch  perfidiously  left  her.  It  is 
this  scene  of  desertion  which  Haydn  chose  for  his  cantata. 
Ariadne  is  supposed  to  have  just  awakened  from  sleep 
and  reclines  upon  a  mossy  bank.  The  first  number  is  a 
recitative  and  largo  in  which  she  hopefully  calls  upon 
Theseus  to  return.  The  melody  is  noble  and  spirited  in 
style,  and  yet  tender  and  fervent  in  its  expression  of  love 
for  the  absent  one.  In  the  next  number,  a  recitative  and 
andante  ("  No  one  listens !  My  sad  words  echo  but  re- 
peats "),  hopefulness  turns  to  anxiety.  The  contrast  be- 
tween the  blissful  longing  of  the  one  and  the  growing 

'5 


226     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

solicitude  expressed  in  the  other  number  is  very  striking. 
The  next  melody,  an  allegro  vivace  ("  What  see  I  ?  O 
heavens  !  Unhappy  me  !  "),  is  remarkable  for  its  pas- 
sionate intensity  and  dramatic  strength.  The  clouds  of 
despair  close  over  her,  and  she  calls  down  the  vengeance 
of  the  gods  upon  the  deserter.  In  the  next  two  numbers, 
an  adagio  ("To  whom  can  I  turn  me?")  and  an  andante 
("  Ah !  how  for  death  I  am  longing "),  the  melodies 
closely  follow  the  sentiment  of  the  text  accompanied  by 
expressive  instrumentation.  An  allegro  presto,  infused 
with  the  spirit  of  hopeless  gloom  and  despair,  ends  the 
cantata. 

THE  SEVEN  WORDS 

"  The  Seven  Words  of  Jesus  on  the  Cross,"  sometimes 
called  "The  Passion,"  was  written  by  Haydn  in  1785,  for 
the  cathedral  of  Cadiz,  upon  a  commission  from  the 
Chapter  for  appropriate  music  for  Good  Friday.  It  was 
at  first  composed  as  an  instrumental  work,  consisting  of 
seven  adagio  movements,  and  in  this  form  was  produced 
in  London  by  the  composer  himself  as  a  "  Passione  instru- 
mentale."  He  afterwards  introduced  solos  and  choruses, 
and  divided  it  into  two  parts,  separating  them  by  a  largo 
movement  for  wind  instruments.  It  was  then  given  at 
Eisenstadt  in  1797,  and  four  years  later  was  published  in 
the  new  form. 

As  the  various  movements  are  all  of  the  same  general 
tone  and  character,  though  varied  with  all  that  skill  and 
mastery  of  instrumental  effect  for  which  Haydn  was  so 
conspicuous,  it  is  needless  to  describe  each  separately. 
By  many  of  the  musicians  of  his  day  it  was  considered 
one  of  his  most  sublime  productions ;  and  Bombet  de- 
clares that  Haydn  on  more  than  one  occasion,  when  he 
was  asked  to  which  of  his  works  he  gave  the  preference, 
replied,  "The  Seven  Words." 


JOSEF  HAYDN 


HAYDN  227 

It  opens  with  an  adagio  for  full  orchestra,  of  a  very  sor- 
rowful but  impressive  character.  Then  follow  each  of  the 
Seven  Words,  given  out  in  simple  chorale  form,  followed 
by  its  chorus.  Following  immediately  after  the  Seventh 
Word,  the  spirit  of  the  music  changes  with  the  chorus 
("The  veil  of  the  temple  was  rent  in  twain"),  a  presto 
movement,  sung  fortissimo,  describing  the  darkness,  the 
quaking  of  the  earth,  the  rending  of  the  rocks,  the  open- 
ing of  the  graves,  and  the  arising  of  the  bodies  of  the 
saints  who  slept,  with  all  that  vividness  in  imitation  and 
sublimity  of  effect  which  characterize  so  many  of  the  com- 
poser's passages  in  "The  Creation  "  and  "  The  Seasons." 

THE  CREATION 

Haydn  was  sixty-five  years  of  age  when  he  undertook 
the  great  work  of  his  life.  It  was  begun  in  1796,  and 
finished  in  1798.  When  urged  to  bring  it  to  a  conclusion 
more  rapidly,  he  replied,  "  I  spend  much  time  over  it, 
because  I  intend  it  to  last  a  long  time."  Shortly  before 
his  final  departure  from  London,  Salomon,  his  manager, 
brought  him  a  poem  for  music  which  had  been  compiled 
by  Lydley  from  Milton's  "  Paradise  Lost,"  for  use  by 
Handel,  though  the  latter  had  not  availed  himself  of  it. 
Haydn  took  it  with  him  to  Vienna,  and  submitted  it  to 
the  Baron  van  Swieten,  the  Emperor's  librarian,  who  was 
not  only  a  very  learned  scholar,  but  also  something  of  a 
musician  and  composer.  The  Baron  suggested  that  he 
should  make  an  oratorio  of  it,  and  to  encourage  him,  not 
only  translated  the  text  into  German,  but  added  a  num- 
ber of  arias,  duets,  and  choruses,  particularly  those  of  the 
descriptive  kind.  Several  of  the  nobility  also  guaranteed 
the  expenses  of  preparation  and  performance.  The  first 
public  performance  was  given  at  the  National  Theatre, 
Vienna,  March  19,  1799,  Haydn's  name-day.  Its  success 


228     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

was  immediate,  and  rivalled  that  of  "  The  Messiah."  It 
was  performed  all  over  Europe,  and  societies  were  organ- 
ized for  the  express  purpose  of  producing  it.  In  London 
rival  performances  of  it  were  given  at  Covent  Garden  and 
the  King's  Theatre  during  the  year  1800. 

The  oratorio  opens  with  an  overture  representing  chaos. 
Its  effect  is  at  first  dull  and  indefinite,  its  utterances  inar- 
ticulate, and  its  notes  destitute  of  perceptible  melody.  It 
is  Nature  in  her  chaotic  state,  struggling  into  definite 
form.  Gradually  instrument  after  instrument  makes  an 
effort  to  extricate  itself,  and  as  the  clarinets  and  flutes 
struggle  out  of  the  confusion,  the  feeling  of  order  begins 
to  make  itself  apparent.  The  resolutions  indicate  har- 
mony. At  last  the  wonderful  discordances  settle,  leaving 
a  misty  effect  that  vividly  illustrates  "  the  spirit  of  God 
moving  upon  the  face  of  the  waters."  Then,  at  the  fiat 
of  the  Creator,  "  Let  there  be  light,"  the  whole  or- 
chestra and  chorus  burst  forth  in  the  sonorous  response 
("  And  there  was  light  ").  A  brief  passage  by  Uriel,  tenor, 
describes  the  division  of  light  from  darkness,  and  the 
end  of  chaos,  introducing  a  fugued  chorus,  in  which  the 
rage  of  Satan  and  his  hellish  spirits,  as  they  are  precipi- 
tated into  the  abyss,  is  described  with  tremendous  dis- 
cords and  strange  modulations ;  but  before  it  closes,  the 
music  relates  the  beauties  of  the  newly  created  earth 
springing  up  "  at  God's  command."  Raphael  describes 
the  making  of  the  firmament,  the  raging  of  the  storms, 
the  flashing  lightning  and  rolling  thunders,  the  showers  of 
rain  and  hail,  and  the  gently  falling  snow,  to  an  accom- 
paniment which  is  closely  imitative  in  character.  The 
work  of  the  second  day  forms  the  theme  of  "  The  mar- 
vellous work,"  for  soprano  obligato  with  chorus,  —  a  num- 
ber characterized  by  great  joyousness  and  spirit.  This 
leads  to  the  number,  "  Rolling  in  foaming  billows,"  in 
which  ^the  music  is  employed  to  represent  the  effect  of 


HAYDN  229 

water,  from  the  roaring  billows  of  the  "boisterous  seas," 
and  the  rivers  flowing  in  "  serpent  error,"  to  the  "  limpid 
brook,"  whose  murmuring  ripple  is  set  to  one  of  the 
sweetest  and  most  delicious  of  melodies.  This  leads  the 
way  to  the  well-known  aria,  "  With  verdure  clad,"  of 
which  Haydn  himself  was  very  fond,  and  which  he  recast 
three  times  before  he  was  satisfied  with  it.  It  is  followed 
by  a  fugued  chorus  ("Awake  the  harp"),  in  which  the 
angels  praise  the  Creator.  We  next  pass  to  the  creation 
of  the  planets.  The  instrumental  prelude  is  a  wonderful 
bit  of  constantly  developing  color,  which  increases  "  in 
splendor  bright,"  until  the  sun  appears.  It  is  followed  by 
the  rising  of  the  moon,  to  an  accompaniment  as  tender  as 
its  own  radiance ;  and  as  the  stars  appear,  "  the  Sons  of 
God  "  announce  the  fourth  day,  and  the  first  part  closes 
with  the  great  chorus,  "The  heavens  are  telling,"  in  which 
the  entire  force  of  band  and  singers  is  employed  in  full, 
broad  harmony  and  sonorous  chords,  leading  to  a  cadence 
of  magnificent  power. 

The  second  part  opens  with  the  aria  ("  On  mighty 
pens"),  describing  in  a  majestic  manner  the  flight  of  the 
eagle,  and  then  blithely  passes  to  the  gaiety  of  the  lark, 
the  tenderness  of  the  cooing  doves,  and  the  plaintiveness 
of  the  nightingale,  in  which  the  singing  of  the  birds  is 
imitated  as  closely  as  the  resources  of  music  will  allow.  A 
beautiful  terzetto  describes  with  inimitable  grace  the  gently 
sloping  hills  covered  with  their  verdure,  the  leaping  of  the 
fountain  into  the  light,  and  the  flights  of  birds ;  and  a  bass 
solo  in  sonorous  manner  takes  up  the  swimming  fish,  clos- 
ing with  "the  upheaval  of  leviathan  from  the  deep,"  who 
disports  himself  among  the  double-basses.  This  leads  to 
a  powerful  chorus  ("The  Lord  is  great").  The  next  num- 
ber describes  the  creation  of  various  animals ;  and  per- 
haps nothing  that  art  contains  can  vie  with  it  in  varied 
and  vivid  description.  It  begins  with  the  lion,  whose 


2jo     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

deep  roar  is  heard  among  the  wind  instruments.  The 
alertness  of  the  "  flexible  tiger  "  is  shown  in  rapid  flights 
by  the  strings.  A  presto  ingeniously  represents  the  quick 
movements  of  the  stag.  The  horse  is  accompanied  by 
music  which  prances  and  neighs.  A  quiet  pastoral  move- 
ment, in  strong  contrast  with  the  preceding  abrupt  transi- 
tions, pictures  the  cattle  seeking  their  food  "  on  fields  and 
meadows  green."  A  flutter  of  sounds  describes  the  swarms 
of  insects  in  the  air,  and  from  this  we  pass  to  a  long,  un- 
dulating thread  of  harmony,  representing  the  "  sinuous 
trace  "  of  the  worm.  This  masterpiece  of  imitative  music 
is  contained  in  a  single  recitative.  A  powerful  and  digni- 
fied aria,  sung  by  Raphael  ("  Now  Heaven  in  fullest  glory 
shone  "),  introduces  the  creation  of  man,  which  is  com- 
pleted in  an  exquisitely  beautiful  aria  ("  In  native  worth  ") 
by  Uriel,  the  second  part  of  which  is  full  of  tender  beauty 
in  its  description  of  the  creation  of  Eve,  and  closes  with  a 
picture  of  the  happiness  of  the  newly  created  pair.  A 
brief  recitative  ("  And  God  saw  everything  that  He  had 
made  ")  leads  to  the  chorus  ("  Achieved  is  the  glorious 
work  "),  —  a  fugue  of  great  power,  superbly  accompanied. 
It  is  interrupted  by  a  trio  ("  On  Thee  each  living  soul 
awaits  "),  but  soon  returns  with  still  greater  power  and 
grandeur,  closing  with  a  Gloria  and  Hallelujah  of  magnifi- 
cent proportions. 

The  third  part  opens  with  a  symphonic  introduction 
descriptive  of  the  first  morning  of  creation,  in  which  the 
flutes  and  horns,  combined  with  the  strings,  are  used  with 
exquisite  effect.  In  a  brief  recitative  ("  In  rosy  mantle 
appears  ")  Uriel  pictures  the  joy  of  Adam  and  Eve,  and 
bids  them  sing  the  praise  of  God  with  the  angelic  choir, 
which  forms  the  theme  of  the  succeeding  duet  and  chorus 
("  By  Thee  with  bliss  ") ;  to  which  the  answering  choir 
replies  with  a  gentle  and  distant  effect,  as  if  from  the 
celestial  heights  ("Forever  blessed  be  His  power"). 


HAYDN  231 

Again  Adam  and  Eve  in  successive  solos,  finally  uniting, 
join  with  the  choir  in  extolling  the  goodness  of  God  ;  and 
as  they  close,  all  take  up  the  beautiful  and  majestic  paean 
("  Hail,  bounteous  Lord  !  Almighty,  hail !  ").  As  the  an- 
gelic shout  dies  away,  a  tender,  loving  dialogue  ensues 
between  Adam  and  Eve,  leading  to  the  beautiful  duet 
("  Graceful  consort "),  which  is  not  only  the  most  delight- 
ful number  in  the  work,  but  in  freshness,  sweetness,  and 
tenderness  stands  almost  unsurpassed  among  compositions 
of  its  kind.  After  a  short  bit  of  recitative  by  Uriel  ("  O 
happy  pair  "),  the  chorus  enters  upon  the  closing  num- 
ber ("  Sing  the  Lord,  ye  voices  all  "),  beginning  slowly 
and  majestically,  then  developing  into  a  masterly  fugue 
("Jehovah's  praise  forever  shall  endure"),  and  closing 
with  a  Laudamus  of  matchless  beauty,  in  which  the  princi- 
pal voices  in  solo  parts  are  set  off  against  the  choral  and 
orchestral  masses  with  powerful  effect. 

THE  SEASONS 

"  The  Seasons,"  written  two  years  after  "  The  Creation," 
was  Haydn's  last  oratorio.  The  music  was  composed  be- 
tween April,  1798,  and  April,  1801.  It  is  not  an  oratorio, 
in  the  strict  sense  of  the  term,  as  it  partakes  of  the  form 
and  qualities,  not  only  of  the  oratorio,  but  also  of  the 
opera  and  cantata.  The  words  were  compiled  by  Baron 
van  Swieten  from  Thomson's  well-known  poem  of  "  The 
Seasons."  It  was  first  performed  at  the  Schwartzenberg 
Palace,  Vienna,  April  24,  1801.  Though  some  of  the 
critics  disparaged  it,  and  Beethoven  was  not  overpleased 
with  it,  it  met  with  a  great  popular  success,  and  Haydn 
himself  was  delighted  with  the  work  that  had  cost  him  so 
much  trouble. 

"The  Seasons"  is  divided  into  four  parts,  —  Spring, 
Summer,  Autumn,  and  Winter,  —  and  the  characters 


232     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

introduced  are  Simon,  a  farmer ;  Jane,  his  daughter ;  Lucas, 
a  young  countryman  and  shepherd  ;  and  a  chorus  of  coun- 
try people  and  hunters.  A  vivacious  overture,  expressing 
the  passage  from  Winter  to  Spring,  and  recitatives  by  Simon, 
Lucas,  and  Jane,  who  in  turn  express  their  delight  at  the 
close  of  the  one  season  and  the  approach  of  the  other,  lead 
to  the  opening  chorus  ("  Come,  gentle  Spring,  ethereal 
mildness,  come  "),  —  a  fresh  and  animated  number,  which 
is  familiar  to  every  one.  Simon  trolls  out  a  pastoral  aria 
("  With  joy  the  impatient  husbandman  "),  full  of  the  very 
spirit  of  quiet,  peace,  and  happiness,  —  a  quaint  melody 
which  will  inevitably  recall  to  opera-goers  the  "  Zitti,  Zitti  " 
from  Rossini's  "  Barber  of  Seville,"  the  essential  difference 
between  the  two  pieces  being  that  in  the  latter  the  time  is 
greatly  accelerated.  This  aria  is  followed  by  a  trio  and 
chorus  ("  Be  propitious,  bounteous  Heaven  "),  a  free  fugue, 
in  which  all  beseech  a  blessing  upon  the  sowing  of  the 
seed.  The  next  number  is  a  duet  for  Jane  and  Lucas, 
with  chorus  ("  Spring  her  lovely  charms  unfolding "), 
which  is  fairly  permeated  with  the  delicate  suggestions  of 
opening  buds  and  the  delights  of  the  balmy  air  and  young 
verdure  of  Spring.  As  its  strains  die  away,  all  join  in  the 
cheerful  fugued  chorus  ("  God  of  light ")  which  closes  the 
first  part. 

After  a  brief  adagio  prelude,  the  second  part,  "  Summer," 
opens  with  a  charming  aria  by  Simon  ("  From  out  the  fold 
the  shepherd  drives"),  which  gives  us  a  delightful  picture 
of  the  shepherd  driving  his  flock  along  the  verdant  hill- 
side, then  leaning  upon  his  staff  to  watch  the  rising  sun. 
As  it  appears,  it  is  welcomed  by  trio  and  chorus  with  the 
exultant  shout,  "Hail,  O  glorious  sun!"  As  noon  ap- 
proaches, the  music  fairly  becomes  radiant.  A  series  of 
recitatives  and  arias  follows,  bringing  out  in  a  vivid  and 
picturesque  manner  the  oppressive,  exhaustive  heat  and 
the  longing  for  rest  and  shade,  leading  at  last  to  an 


EDWARD  LLOYD 


HAYDN  233 

ominous  silence  as  the  clouds  begin  to  gather  and  the  sky 
darkens.  A  short  recitative  prepares  the  way.  A  crash 
of  thunder  is  heard  upon  the  drums :  it  is  the  prelude  to 
the  storm-chorus  ("  Hark  !  the  deep  tremendous  voice  "), 
which  has  been  the  model  for  nearly  all  the  storm  descrip- 
tions written  since  Haydn's  time.  It  is  worked  up  to  a 
tremendous  climax  of  tumult  and  terror,  of  pouring  rain, 
flashing  lightning,  and  pealing  thunder.  At  last  the  tem- 
pest dies  away,  and  in  the  trio  and  chorus  ("  Now  cease 
the  conflicts  ")  night  comes  on,  with  its  song  of  the  quail, 
—  which  Beethoven  subsequently  utilized  in  his  Pastoral 
Symphony, —  the  chirp  of  the  crickets,  the  croaking  of  the 
frogs,  the  distant  chime  of  the  evening  bells,  and  the  in- 
vocation to  sleep. 

After  a  melodious  prelude  the  third  part  opens  with  a 
terzetto  and  chorus  ("  Thus  Nature  ever  kind  rewards  "), 
an  invocation  to  virtue  and  industry,  and  a  quaintly 
sentimental  duet  ("  Ye  gay  and  painted  fair ").  The 
next  number,  an  aria  by  Simon  ("  Behold  along  the  dewy 
grass"),  —  which  gives  us  the  picture  of  the  hunter  and 
his  dog  pursuing  a  bird,  —  prepares  the  way  for  the 
great  hunting  chorus  ("  Hark  !  the  mountains  resound  "), 
one  of  the  most  graphic  and  stirring  choruses  of  this  de- 
scription ever  written.  The  whole  scene,  —  the  vales  and 
forests  resounding  with  the  music  of  the  horns,  the  finding 
of  the  quarry,  the  flying  stag  outstripping  the  wind,  the 
pack  at  fault,  but  starting  in  again  as  they  find  the  scent, 
the  tally-ho  of  the  hunters,  the  noble  animal  at  bay,  his 
death,  and  the  shouts  of  the  crowd,  —  are  all  pictured  with 
fresh  and  genuine  out-door  feeling.  This  remarkable 
number  is  separated  from  its  natural  companion,  the  bac- 
chanalian chorus,  by  a  recitative  extolling  the  wealth  of 
the  vintage.  This  chorus  ("  Joyful  the  liquor  flows  ")  is 
in  two  parts,  —  first  a  hymn  in  praise  of  wine,  sung  by  the 
tippling  revellers,  and  second,  a  dance  tempo,  full  of  life 


234     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

and  beauty,  with  imitations  of  the  bagpipe  and  rustic  fid- 
dles, the  melody  being  a  favorite  Austrian  dance-air.  With 
this  rollicking  combination,  for  the  two  movements  are  in- 
terwoven, the  third  part  closes. 

A  slow  orchestral  prelude,  "  expressing  the  thick  fogs  at 
the  approach  of  Winter,"  introduces  the  closing  part.  In 
recitative  Simon  describes  the  on-coming  of  the  dreary 
season,  and  Jane  reiterates  the  sentiment  in  the  cavatina 
("Light  and  life  dejected  languish").  In  Lucas's  recita- 
tive we  see  the  snow  covering  the  fields,  and  in  his  follow- 
ing aria  ("The  traveller  stands  perplexed"),  a  graphic 
tone-picture  of  the  wanderer  lost  in  the  snow  is  presented. 
At  last  he  espies  the  friendly  light  in  the  cottage.  "  Me- 
lodious voices  greet  his  ears,"  and  as  he  enters  he  be- 
holds the  friendly  circle,  the  old  father  telling  over  his 
stories  of  the  past,  the  mother  plying  the  distaff,  the 
girls  spinning,  and  the  young  people  making  the  night 
merry  with  jest  and  sport.  At  last  they  join  in  a  charac- 
teristic imitative  chorus  ("  Let  the  wheel  move  gayly  "). 
After  the  spinning  they  gather  about  the  fire,  and  Jane 
sings  a  charming  love-story  ("  A  wealthy  lord  who  long 
had  loved  "),  accompanied  by  chorus.  Simon  improves 
the  occasion  to  moralize  on  the  sentiment  of  the  seasons  in 
the  aria,  "In  this,  O  vain,  misguided  man,"  impressing 
upon  us  the  lesson  that  "  Nought  but  truth  remains ;  " 
and  with  a  general  appeal  to  Heaven  for  guidance  through 
life,  this  quaint  and  peaceful  pastoral  poem  in  music  draws 
to  its  close.  It  was  the  last  important  work  of  the  aged 
Haydn,  but  it  has  all  the  charm  and  freshness  of  youth. 


HAYDN 


SYMPHONY  No.  i   (B.  &  H.),  IN  E  FLAT 

1.  ADAGIO.    ALLEGRO  CON  SPIRITO. 

2.  ANDANTE. 

3.  MINUET. 

4.  FINALE.    PRESTO. 

The  Symphony  in  E  flat  was  composed  in  1795,  and  is 
the  eighth  in  the  set  written  for  Salomon,  and  the  first  of 
the  Breitkopf  and  Hartel  edition.  It  opens  with  an 
adagio,  introduced  by  a  roll  on  the  kettle-drum,  with  the 
following  theme :  — 

'Cello,  Bass,  and  Fagotto. 

Adagio. 


This  broad  and  sombre  melody  gives  the  key  to  the 
whole  work,  and  shows  us  the  composer  in  a  somewhat 
serious  mood.  It  ends  in  a  unison  phrase  in  C  minor,  in 
a  half- mysterious  way  on  G,  the  fifth  of  the  chord.  Then 
enters  the  Allegro  con  spirito,  in  |  time,  with  the  following 
theme  :  — 


The  half-step  in  the  first  group,  forced  in  the  repetition 
by  an  accidental,  keeps  the  otherwise  humorous  theme 
within  bounds ;  and  the  sforzando  strokes,  as  well  as  the 
fortissimo  unison  passage  at  the  end  of  the  first  part,  show 
how  seriously  the  master  took  his  work.  The  second  part 
is  worked  up  in  strict  compliance  with  the  sonata  form, 
and  displays  Haydn's  mastery  in  counterpoint.  After  a 


236     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

hold,  the  basses  take  up  the  melody  of  the  opening  adagio, 
pressed  into  the  new  mould  of  the  |  tempo.  This  middle 
movement  is  again  interrupted  by  a  hold,  followed  by  the 
working-out  of  the  second  theme  and  closing  on  the  dom- 
inant seventh  chord  and  a  grand  pause,  after  which  the 
first  part  is  repeated.  At  the  half-cadence  the  opening 
adagio  unexpectedly  enters  with  its  solemn  roll  of  the  drum 
and  deep-toned  melody,  followed  by  a  short  coda,  allegro. 
This  procedure  shows  how  serious  the  man  who  wrote  the 
Children's  Symphony  could  be  when  in  the  mood. 

The  andante,  in  C  minor,  \  time,  opens  with  the  follow- 
ing melody :  — 


The  first  bar,  with  its  C,  E  flat,  F  sharp,  has  a  vein  of 
inexpressibly  sad  loveliness,  which  also  pervades  the  whole 
song,  as  it  may  be  called.  When  in  the  third  part,  or  the 
Maggiore  in  C  major,  the  sky  brightens,  it  is  interesting  to 
see  how  simply  the  composer  accomplishes  his  purpose  by 
filling  up  the  third,  C,  E,  and  enlivening  the  rhythm  in  this 
way :  — 


The  Minore  and  the  Maggiore  are  then  repeated  in  the 
form  of  variations,  exquisitely  worked  out.  The  third  va- 
riation, in  C  minor,  is  scored  for  full  orchestra,  and  is  one 
of  the  many  examples  we  find  in  Haydn  which  show  that 
the  minor  mood  or  minor  key  was  for  him  rather  the  ex- 
pression of  the  grand  and  heroic  than  of  sadness  or  sorrow. 


HAYDN 


237 


The  coda  in  its  simplicity,  however,  shows  the  sad  under- 
current of  his  thought  while  writing  this  lovely  Andante, 
although  the  close  is  in  the  major  key. 
The  Minuet,  with  the  following  theme,  — 


reaches  far  higher  than  the  dance  form,  and  its  working-up 
in  the  second  part  is  unusually  rich  in  harmonic  treatment. 
The  Trio  contains  the  flowing  legato  figures  which  Haydn 
so  often  used  to  offset  the  broken  rhythm  and  skipping 
melody  of  the  minuet  proper. 

The  Finale,  in  E  flat,  is  founded  on  the  following  theme, 
with  underlying  figure  for  horns,  as  marked  : 


1 

j  j 

\ 

nj  J  J 

[     2                 5    8! 

m     f 

&                * 

1    ^nj      W    L./  S     ^ 

9    *  * 

\CT)          y 

•zr 

-5- 

r    tt 

It  is  broad  in  treatment,  and  often  reminds  us  of  Mozart. 
The  whole  movement  is  symphonic  in  character,  and  shows 
little  of  the  playfulness  we  are  wont  to  look  for  in  Haydn's 
compositions. 


238     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 


SYMPHONY  No.  2   (B.  &  H.),  IN  D  MAJOR 

1.  ADAGIO.    ALLEGRO. 

2.  ANDANTE. 

3.  MINUET. 

4.  FINALE.    ALLEGRO  SPIRITOSO. 

The  Symphony  in  D  major  —  No.  7  of  the  Salomon  set ; 
No.  2,  Breitkopf  and  Hartel —  was  written  in  1795.  ^ 
has  the  usual  Adagio  introduction,  in  D  minor,  with  a 
theme  as  weighty  and  bold  as  anything  we  admire  in  Bee- 
thoven, closing  on  the  dominant  pianissimo  and  leading 
into  the  Allegro  with  the  following  theme  :  — 


Allegro. 


The  second  theme  of  the  first  movement,  in  the  key  of  A, 
appears  only  once.  In  the  working-up  of  the  second  part, 
the  composer  utilizes  the  four  quarter-beats  followed  by 
two  half-notes,  given  above,  as  a  separate  motive,  which 
by  its  more  decisive  character  imparts  to  the  whole  move- 
ment a  certain  brusqueness  and  force. 

The  Andante,  in  G  major,  |  time,  is  based  on  the  fol- 
lowing lovely  song  written  in  a  popular  vein,  — 

Andante. 


HAYDN 


239 


and  treated  in  the  form  of  variations ;  not,  however,  in  the 
usual  strict  manner,  but  interspersed  with  significant  and 
deeply  effective  intermezzos,  showing  with  what  perfect 
freedom  the  genius  of  the  master  soared  above  conven- 
tional forms.  The  second  part  of  the  melody  proceeds 
with  the  following  tuneful  counterpoint,  using  the  opening 
bars  of  the  Andante  for  an  accompaniment :  — 


The  Minuet,  in  D  major,  is  energetic  in  character,  ow- 
ing to  its  peculiar  accentuation,  as  well  as  strong  harmony, 
and  yet  preserves  the  humor  and  piquancy  of  the  master's 
most  favorite  movements  in  a  wonderful  degree.  The  Trio 
has  the  same  character,  in  its  contrast  to  the  Minuet 
proper,  as  that  in  the  E  flat  symphony. 

The  Finale,  in  D  major,  Allegro  spiritoso,  has  a  flavor  of 
country  life  and  its  enjoyments.  It  begins  on  a  pedal  bass 
for  horns  and  'cellos,  over  which  runs  the  most  natural, 
simple  song,  a  happy-go-lucky  air,  —  which  however  gives 
free  play  to  the  master's  art  in  counterpoint.  We  select 
only  a  few  bars  in  which  he  combines  three  melodies  over 
a  pedal  point  in  the  most  masterly  manner :  — 


j  J.A 


240     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 


SYMPHONY  No.  6  (B.  &  H.),  IN  G  MAJOR  (SURPRISE) 

1.  ADAGIO.    VIVACE  ASSAI.      3.   MINUET. 

2.  ANDANTE.  4.  FINALE.    ALLEGRO  MOLTO. 

The  Symphony  in  G  major,  popularly  known  as  "The 
Surprise,"  —  No.  3  of  the  Salomon  set ;  No.  6,  Breitkopf 
and  Hartel, —  was  written  in  1791.  It  has  a  short  intro- 
ductory Adagio,  in  which  an  unusual  number  of  chromatics 
are  employed,  leading  at  once  into  the  main  Vivace  assai, 
|  time,  with  the  following  for  the  first  theme  :  — 


Daintily  as  it  steps  in,  it  soon  develops  into  the  full 
rush  of  life,  beginning  at  the  figure  of  sixteenth,  the  work- 
ing up  of  the  theme,  however,  being  chiefly  based  on  a 
group  of  eighth  notes  at  the  beginning. 

The  Andante,  in  C  major,  the  movement  which  gave 
the  name  of  "  Surprise  "  to  the  symphony,  is  based  on 
this  exceedingly  simple  melody,  moving  through  the  inter- 
vals of  the  chord  :  — 


It  opens  piano,  is  repeated  pianissimo,  and  closes  with 
an  unexpected  crash  of  the  whole  orchestra.     Here  we 


HAYDN  241 

have  the  genial  "  Papa  Haydn,"  who  enjoyed  a  joke,  and 
when  in  the  humor  for  it  did  not  think  it  beneath  his 
dignity  "  to  score  "  the  joke  ;  for  to  a  friend,  who  was 
visiting  him  when  writing  the  Andante,  he  remarked  : 
"  That  's  sure  to  make  the  ladies  jump  ;  "  and  his  waggish 
purpose  has  been  secured  to  this  day.  The  theme  is 
carried  out  in  his  favorite  form  of  variations,  and  the 
movement  closes  with  a  pedal  point  giving  the  opening 
phrase  and  dying  away  in  a  pianissimo. 

The  Minuet  seems  the  natural  sequence  of  this  ex- 
tremely simple  Andante.  The  sweep  of  the  violins  in  the 
last  two  measures  of  the  first  part  is  made  the  motive  for 
the  second  part,  which  is  used  in  canon  form  between  the 
violins  and  basses  and  connected  with  the  trio,  written  in 
the  usual  manner. 

The  last  movement,  Allegro  molto,  in  G  major,  |  time, 
has  this  happy  theme  for  its  foundation  : 


Allegro  di  molto. 


The  piquancy  of  its  phrasing  is  in  the  master's  happiest 
vein,  and  although  worked  out  with  less  display  of  science 
than  some  of  his  other  finales,  it  gathers  new  interest  by 
the  rushing  violin  figures  that  are  used  quite  lavishly  and 
fully  sustain  its  joyful  character.  Haydn  also  introduces 
some  finely  conceived  harmonic  surprises,  when  he  follows 
a  half-cadence  on  D  major  with  the  quarter  strokes  on  C 
natural,  pianissimo,  as  well  as  rhythmic,  by  the  introduc- 
tion of  a  grand  pause,  which  he  uses  twice. 


16 


242     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 


SYMPHONY  No.  9  (B.  &  H.),  EN  C  MINOR 


1.  ALLEGRO. 

2.  ANDANTE. 


3.  MINUET. 

4.  FINALE.    VIVACE. 


The  Symphony  in  C  minor  —  No.  5  of  the  Salomon 
set ;  Breitkopf  and  Hartel,  No.  9  —  opens  at  once  with 
an  Allegro  in  common  time  : 


The  bold  steps  at  the  opening  and  the  march-like  rhythm 
of  the  third  and  fourth  measures,  although  subdued  in  a 
dynamic  sense,  and  never  used  in  a  military  mood,  give 
the  movement  a  certain  crispness  which  is  effectively  off- 
set by  the  second  theme  : 


This  is  followed  by  scale  runs  in  triplets,  that  alternate 
between  the  higher  and  lower  instrumental  groups  and 
well  preserve  the  strong  character  of  the  otherwise  short 
movement.  Though  brief,  it  is  especially  interesting  as 
showing  plainly  the  influence  of  the  younger  master, 
Mozart,  and  at  times  reminds  us  of  the  latter's  C  minor 
Fantasie. 

The  Andante  cantabile,  in  E  flat,  in  its  idyllic  theme  — 


HAYDN 


243 


Andante. 


betrays  the  composer  of  "With  verdure  clad,"  and  vies 
with  that  well-known  melody  in  sweetness.  It  is  worked 
out  in  a  number  of  variations,  among  which  the  one  in  E 
flat  minor  is  especially  noticeable. 

The  Minuet  is  one  of  the  popular  concert  numbers,  and 
is  a  masterly  specimen  of  grace  and  refined  humor,  com- 
bined with  the  stateliness  of  the  old-fashioned  dance.  Its 
theme  is  the  following  : 


The  trio  varies  from  many  of  the  previous  ones  in  that 
the  movement  of  eighth  -notes  appears  staccato  through- 
out, and  is  given  to  the  'cellos,  the  violins  only  marking 
the  rhythm. 

The  Finale  vivace,  in  C  major,  is  rich  in  the  treatment 
of  counterpoint  and  fugue  ;  but  a  glance  at  the  leading 
theme  — 


Vivace. 


will  show  at  once  that  we  have  nothing  to  fear  in  the  way 
of  dry  or  heavy  music.  The  general  treatment  reminds  us 
of  his  earlier  symphonies,  but  much  of  it  also  shows  the 
influence  of  Mozart. 


244     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 


SYMPHONY  No.  n  (B.  &  H.),  IN  G  MAJOR  (MILITARY) 


1.  LARGO.  ALLEGRO. 

2.  ALLEGRETTO. 


3.  MINUET. 

4.  FINALE.    PRESTO. 


The  Symphony  in  G  major  —  No.  12  of  the  Salomon 
set,  and  No.  1 1  of  the  Breitkopf  and  Ha'rtel  edition  —  was 
written  in  1794.  It  opens  with  a  slow  movement  of  broad 
and  even  pathetic  character,  closing  on  the  dominant 
chord  with  a  hold.  The  first  movement  proper,  Allegro, 
starts  in  with  the  following  theme,  given  out  by  the  flutes 
and  oboes : 


and  is  repeated  in  ever  new  instrumental  combinations, 
leading  into  a  play  of  questions  and  answers  between  wind 
and  string  instruments,  which  Haydn's  successors  have 
made  use  of  so  often.  After  the  half-cadence,  the  second 
theme  — 


enters  piano.     In  spirit  it  is  a  lively  march,  and  although 
at  its  first  appearance  it  is  quite  subdued,  the  staccato 


HAYDN 


245 


marks  relieve  any  uncertainty  as  to  its  meaning.  The 
working-up  in  the  second  part  relies  chiefly  on  this 
second  theme ;  and  when  the  double-basses  take  it  up,  it 
rises  to  its  full  importance.  The  greater  length  of  the 
movement,  its  ingenious  harmonic  treatment,  the  stubborn 
character  in  the  sforzando  strokes  after  the  second  theme 
appears  fortissimo,  the  crisp  staccato  scales  in  broken 
thirds  in  the  violins,  stamp  this  Allegro  as  one  of  the  most 
important  the  master  has  left  us,  and  establish  his  fame 
as  the  worthy  predecessor  of  Beethoven. 

The  Allegretto,  in  C  major,  which  here  takes  the  place 
of  the  usual  Andante,  has  given  to  this  symphony  the 
name  of  "  The  Military  "  and  is  based  on  an  old  French 
romanza : 


In  its  treatment  of  interchanging  instrumental  groups, 
and  in  its  quiet  yet  cheerful  movement,  it  sounds  like  the 
last  farewells  of  soldiers  as  they  take  leave  of  their  beloved 
homes.  Haydn  displays  a  wonderful  mastery  in  the  dy- 
namic treatment,  which  in  this  movement  serves  almost 
exclusively  to  bring  out  the  ever-changing  character  of  the 
theme.  After  several  repeats,  the  trumpets  sound  the 
signal  for  falling  into  line,  and  with  a  few  strong  chords  in 
the  key  of  A  flat,  the  march  is  resumed.  Observe  also 
the  masterly  use  which  the  composer  has  made  of  the 
drums,  cymbals,  and  triangle,  in  the  various  repeats  of 
this  simple  theme,  relying  almost  entirely  on  the  tone- 
colors  of  the  different  orchestral  instmments  and  their 
combination  for  the  maintaining  of  the  interest  in  the 
simple  march  theme. 

The  Minuet,  moderato,  in  its  form  comes  nearer  the 
dance  minuet  in  graceful  groups  of  violin  figures  than  any 


246     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

we  have  considered ;  while  the  trio  is  worked  up  in  a 
more  distinct  character  than  usual,  and  with  its  dotted 
rhythm  remains  nearer  the  original  dance  than  the  legato 
trios  of  former  symphonies. 

The  last  movement,  Presto,   in  |  time,  is  in  Haydn's 
happiest  vein.     Its  theme  — 


is  playful  and  charming,  and  the  whole  Finale,  although 
not  devoid  of  more  forcible  intermezzos,  broken  by  unex- 
pected pauses  and  elaborate  treatment  in  harmonic  changes, 
moves  along  in  a  happy  and  natural  manner,  while  in  con- 
ciseness of  expression  it  is  a  model  of  brevity. 


SYMPHONY  No.  12  (B.  &  H.),  IN  B  FLAT 


1.  LARGO.    ALLEGRO. 

2.  ADAGIO. 


3.  MINUET. 

4.  FINALS. 


PRESTO. 


The  Symphony  in  B  flat,  written  in  1794,  is  the  ninth 
in  the  Salomon  set,  and  No.  12  of  the  Breitkopf  and 
Hartel  edition.  A  short  Largo  opens  pompously  with  a 
hold  on  the  keynote,  followed  by  a  phrase  for  wind  instru- 
ments reflecting  the  sadness  of  the  whole  Introduction. 

The  first  movement,  Allegro  vivace,  brings  in  the  main 
theme  — 


AlUgro. 


HAYDN 


247 


at  once  fortissimo  by  the  whole  orchestra,  and  reversing 
the  order  to  repeat,  appears  as  a  piano  phrase.  This  is 
followed  by  a  lively  figure  for  violins  through  sixteen 
measures,  working  up  into  a  fine  crescendo  fortissimo  that 
reaches  its  climax  on  a  whole  note  on  A  in  unison,  and 
with  the  grand  pause  following  prepares  the  entrance  of 
the  second  theme  in  A  major,  as  follows :  — 


ff       p 


JZ. 


This,  with  several  other  shorter  themes,  furnishes  the  ma- 
terial for  the  working-up  of  the  second  part,  and  shows 
the  composer's  extraordinary  power  of  invention  and  com- 
bination. The  whole  scheme  is  broader  than  usual.  The 
rhythmic,  harmonic,  and  dynamic  changes  form  a  picture 
of  real  life  pulsating  with  vital  force,  and  this  symphony, 
Haydn's  last  tribute  to  his  friend  Salomon,  was  by  no 
means  the  least  of  the  series. 

The  Adagio  in  F  major,  J  time,  is  comparatively  short, 
and  has  Italian  touches  of  elegance  in  the  rich  ornamenta- 
tion with  which  the  melody  is  embellished.  In  character 
it  leaves  the  popular  vein  which  Haydn's  slow  movements 
generally  show,  and  leans  more  toward  the  elegiac  and 
sentimental. 

The  Minuet,  although  its  first  part  inclines  toward  the 
dance  form,  assumes  a  style  of  its  o«vn  by  the  stubborn 
assertion  of  a  group  of  three  notes  in  repeat,  leading  to  a 
hold,  after  which  a  playful  treatment  of  the  same  motive 


248     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

brings  us  back  to  the  original  theme.  The  trio  also  dif- 
fers from  many  of  Haydn's,  its  rocking  movement  and 
tender  chromatics  reminding  us  of  Schubert. 

The  Finale,  in  B  flat,  Presto,  \  time,  opens  with  the  fol- 
lowing gay  song,  — 


Presto. 


which  flows  along  without  interruption,  for  even  the  occa- 
sional attempts  at  stubbornness  have  an  undercurrent  of 
jollity.  The  composer's  fancy  for  the  humorous  and  play- 
ful side  of  life  finds  free  swing  in  this  Finale.  Syncopations, 
pianissimo  staccatos,  unexpected  pauses,  clashes  of  the  full 
orchestra,  sudden  transitions  of  key,  the  playful  use  of 
parts  of  a  motive,  etc.,  combine  in  making  a  picture  of 
happiness  and  joyous  life  which  is  all  the  more  extraordi- 
nary when  we  consider  that  Haydn  wrote  this  work  in  his 
sixty-second  year. 


HOFMANN 

1842- 1902 

MELUSINA 

THE  beautiful  story  of  Melusina  has  always  had  an 
attraction  for  artists  and  musicians.  The  version 
which  Hofmann  uses  in  his  cantata  entitled  "The  Fable 
of  the  Fair  Melusina,"  written  in  1875,  mns  as  follows: 
Melusina,  the  nymph  of  a  fountain  in  the  Bressilian  forest, 
and  Count  Raymond  have  fallen  in  love  with  each  other. 
They  declare  their  passion  in  the  presence  of  her  nymphs, 
and  plight  their  troth.  Melusina  engages  to  be  his  dutiful 
wife  the  first  six  days  of  the  week,  but  makes  Raymond 
promise  never  to  inquire  or  seek  to  discover  what  she 
does  on  the  seventh,  which,  she  assures  him,  shall  "  never 
see  her  stray  from  the  path  of  duty."  On  that  day  she 
must  assume  her  original  form,  half  fish  and  half  woman, 
and  bathe  with  her  nymphs.  Raymond  promises,  calls 
his  hunters,  introduces  his  bride  to  them,  and  the  wed- 
ding cortege  moves  joyfully  on  to  the  castle.  In  the 
second  part  Raymond's  mother,  Clotilda,  and  her  brother, 
Sintram,  intrigue  against  Melusina.  They  denounce  her 
as  a  witch,  and  the  accusation  seems  to  be  justified  by  a 
drought  which  has  fallen  upon  the  land  since  the  marriage. 
The  suffering  people  loudly  clamor  for  the  surrender  of 
the  "  foul  witch."  After  long  resistance  Raymond  is 
induced  to  break  into  the  bathing-house  which  he  had 
erected  over  the  fountain.  Melusina  and  her  nymphs, 
surprised  by  him,  call  upon  the  king  of  the  water-spirits 


250     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

to  avenge  his  treason.  The  king  appears  and  consigns 
him  to  death.  Seized  with  pity,  Melusina  intercedes  for 
him,  and  the  king  agrees  to  spare  his  life  upon  condition 
that  they  shall  separate.  Raymond  once  more  embraces 
her,  neither  of  them  knowing  that  it  will  be  fatal  to  him, 
dies  in  her  arms,  and  the  sorrowing  Melusina  returns  to 
the  flood. 

The  prologue  describes  Melusina's  fountain,  and  con- 
tains a  leading  motive  which  characterizes  Raymond. 
The  chorus  part  is  romantic  in  its  style,  and  set  to  a 
graceful,  poetical  accompaniment.  The  opening  number 
introduces  Melusina  and  her  nymphs  in  a  chorus  extolling 
their  watery  abode  ("  For  the  flood  is  life-giving").  In 
the  second  number  she  describes  the  passion  she  feels 
when  thinking  of  Raymond.  The  song  is  interrupted  by 
horn  signals  indicating  the  approach  of  her  lover  and  his 
hunters,  who  join  in  a  fresh,  vigorous  hunting-song  and 
then  disperse.  In  the  fourth  number  Raymond  gives 
expression  to  his  love  for  Melusina,  followed  by  a  fervid 
duet  between  them,  in  which  the  lovers  interchange  vows 
of  constancy.  The  sixth  number,  describing  their  engage- 
ment in  presence  of  the  nymphs,  and  concluding  with  a 
stirring  chorus  of  nymphs  and  hunters,  closes  the  first 
part. 

The  second  part  begins  with  a  theme  from  the  love- 
duet,  followed  by  a  significant  theme  in  the  minor,  omi- 
nous of  approaching  danger.  In  the  eighth  number  the 
people  clamor  in  furious  chorus  for  the  witch.  In  the 
ninth,  a  trio  and  chorus,  Clotilda  warns  her  son  of 
the  misery  he  has  brought  upon  his  house  and  people, 
and  urges  him  to  discover  what  his  wife  does  on  the 
seventh  day.  The  next  number  introduces  Melusina  and 
her  nymphs  in  the  bath,  the  former  singing  a  plaintive 
song  ("Love  is  freighted  with  sorrow  and  care").  A 
noise  is  heard  at  the  gate,  and  the  nymphs  join  in  a 


H El N RICH    HOFMANN 


HOFMANN  251 

chorus  in  canon  form  ("  Hark  !  hark  !  Who  has  come  to 
watch?").  As  Raymond  appears,  the  scene  grows  dra- 
matic. The  king  of  the  water-spirits  is  summoned;  but 
before  he  rises  from  the  water,  Melusina,  in  melodious 
recitative,  laments  her  lover's  treason.  The  scene  culmi- 
nates in  the  sentence,  "  Let  death  be  his  lot."  He  is 
spared  by  her  intercession,  but  she  is  commanded  to 
return  to  the  flood.  Raymond  appeals  for  forgiveness, 
and  a  part  of  the  love-duet  is  repeated.  The  final  em- 
brace is  fatal  to  him,  and  he  dies  in  her  arms.  The 
chorus  repeats  the  melody  of  the  opening  number  ("  For 
the  flood  is  life-giving  "),  and  she  bids  her  dead  lover  a 
last  farewell,  and  disappears  with  the  nymphs  and  water- 
spirits,  singing,  "  Forget  with  the  dwellers  on  earth  all 
earthly  woe."  The  epilogue  is  substantially  the  same 
as  the  prologue. 


THE  FRTTHJOF  SYMPHONY.     OP.  22 

1.  ALLEGRO  CON  FUOCO.    (Frithjof  and  Ingeborg.) 

2.  ADAGIO  MA  NON  TROPPO.    (Ingeborg's  Lament.) 

3.  ALLEGRO   MODERATO.     VIVACE.     (Elves  of  Light  and  Frost 

Giants.) 

4.  FINALE.     (Frithjof's  Return.) 

The  Frithjof  Symphony,  the  first  of  Hofmann's  larger 
compositions  to  attract  public  attention,  was  written  in 
1874.  Its  subject,  as  its  title  indicates,  is  taken  from  the 
cantos  of  Bishop  TegneYs  well-known  "  Frithjof  s  Saga," 
describing  the  banishment  of  Frithjof,  son  of  Thorstein, 
by  the  brothers  of  Ingeborg,  daughter  of  King  Bele, 
with  whom  the  Norse  hero  was  in  love ;  her  lament 
for  him  by  the  seashore ;  and  his  return  in  his  good 
ship  "Ellida." 

The  opening  Allegro,  "  Frithjof  and  Ingeborg,"  has 
genuine  dramatic  strength  and  color,  notwithstanding  its 


252     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

adherence  to  form.  The  hero  and  heroine  are  repre- 
sented in  the  two  leading  subjects  by  motives  in  the 
Wagner  style,  introduced  respectively  by  the  clarinet  and 
oboe,  and  returning  again  in  the  Finale  of  the  symphony. 
One  of  these  themes  is  vigorous  and  fiery  in  its  nature, 
the  other  sweet,  gracious,  and  tender.  As  solos  with 
charming  string  accompaniments,  they  may  be  identified 
with  the  two  lovers;  and  in  duet  form  alternating  with 
energetic  string  passages,  the  composer  evidently  intended 
a  genuine  love-dialogue. 

The  second  movement,  an  Adagio,  called  "  Ingeborg's 
Lament,"  is  plaintive  and  sad  in  character,  and  represents 
the  sorrowing  maiden  walking  by  the  seashore  and  gazing 
out  wistfully  over  the  deep,  sighing  for  the  return  of 
Frithjof  in  "  Ellida,"  and  lamenting  that  death  may  come 
to  her  before  he  sails  back  again  from  the  South,  whither 
her  brothers  have  driven  him.  The  working-up  of  this 
movement  is  very  short,  but  before  it  closes  there  is  a 
notable  subject  given  out  by  the  trombones  strongly 
resembling  Siegfried's  motive  in  Wagner's  Nibelungen 
Trilogy. 

The  third  movement,  an  Allegro,  entitled  "Elves  of 
Light  and  Frost  Giants,"  is  in  reality  an  episode  or  inter- 
mezzo in  scherzo  form,  and  thoroughly  northern  in  its 
color.  The  "  light  elves "  are  introduced  in  a  dainty, 
delicate  theme,  strongly  suggestive  of  Mendelssohn,  to 
whom  the  fairy  world  in  music  belongs  of  right.  The 
"  frost  giants "  come  in  with  a  resonant  and  blustering 
theme  which  is  in  reality  a  dance  of  the  wildest  character. 
The  elves'  theme  is  then  repeated,  and  the  movement 
comes  to  an  end  after  a  most  fascinating  display  of  color 
and  fancy  in  tones. 

The  Finale  is  animated,  exultant,  and  triumphant 
throughout.  Its  character  is  at  once  indicated  by  the 
joyous  calls  of  the  horns  and  the  answering  strains  of  the 


HOFMANN  253 

violins,  betokening  festivity.  The  latter  at  last  give  out  a 
joyful  theme  announcing  the  return  of  the  victorious  hero. 
The  second  theme  is  equally  exultant,  and  is  followed  by 
Ingeborg's  theme  from  the  first  movement,  not  only  bind- 
ing the  symphony  together  and  preserving  its  unity,  but, 
as  may  well  be  imagined,  representing  the  reunion  of  the 
lovers. 


LESLIE 

1822- 1896 

HOLYROOD 

"  T  TOLYROOD  "  was  written  in  1861,  and  was  first 
JTl  produced  in  February  of  that  year  at  St.  James's 
Hall,  London.  Leslie's  collaborator  was  the  accomplished 
scholar  Chorley,  who  has  certainly  prepared  one  of  the 
most  refined  and  attractive  librettos  ever  furnished  a  com- 
poser. The  story  represents  an  episode  during  the  period 
of  Queen  Mary's  innocent  life,  overshadowed  in  the  close 
by  the  dismal  prophecy  of  the  terrible  fate  so  rapidly  ap- 
proaching her.  The  characters  are  Queen  Mary,  soprano ; 
Mary  Beatoun  (Beton),  her  maid  of  honor,  contralto; 
Rizzio,  the  ill-fated  minstrel,  tenor;  and  John  Knox, 
bass.  The  scene  is  laid  in  a  court  of  the  palace  of 
Holyrood,  and  introduces  a  coterie  of  the  court  ladies  and 
gentlemen  engaged  in  a  revel.  In  the  midst  of  the  pleas- 
antry, however,  the  Queen  moves  pensively  about,  as  if 
her  thoughts  were  far  away.  Her  favorite  maid  tries  in 
vain  to  rouse  her  from  her  melancholy  with  a  Scotch  bal- 
lad. The  minstrel  Rizzio  is  then  urged  to  try  his  skill. 
He  takes  his  lute  and  sings  an  Italian  canzonet  which  has 
the  desired  effect.  The  sensuous  music  of  the  South 
diverts  her.  She  expresses  her  delight,  and  seizing  his 
lute  sings  her  new  joy  in  a  French  romance.  It  is  inter- 
rupted by  a  Puritan  psalm  of  warning  heard  outside.  The 
revellers  seek  to  drown  it ;  but  it  grows  in  power,  and  only 
ceases  when  the  leader,  John  Knox,  enters  with  stern  and 


II.  D.  LESLIE 


LESLIE  255 

forbidding  countenance.  The  Queen  is  angry  at  first,  but 
bids  him  welcome  provided  his  mission  is  a  kindly  one. 
He  answers  with  a  warning.  As  he  has  the  gift  of  proph- 
ecy, she  orders  him  to  read  her  future.  After  the  bridal, 
the  murder  of  the  bridegroom ;  after  the  murder,  battle  ; 
after  the  battle,  prison ;  after  the  prison,  the  scaffold,  is  the 
tragic  fate  he  foresees.  The  enraged  courtiers  call  for  his 
arrest  and  punishment,  but  the  light-hearted  Queen  bids 
him  go  free. 

The  cantata  opens  with  a  chorus  for  female  voices  in 
three  divisions,  with  a  contralto  solo,  in  the  Scotch  style 
("  The  mavis  carols  in  the  shaw  ").  After  a  short  reci- 
tative passage  in  which  Mary  Beatoun  appeals  to  the  rev- 
ellers to  lure  the  Queen  from  her  loneliness,  and  their  reply 
("  O  lady,  never  sit  alone  "),  the  maid  sings  a  sombre  but 
engaging  Scotch  ballad  ("  There  once  was  a  maiden  in 
Melrose  town ").  As  might  have  been  expected,  this 
mournful  ditty  fails  to  rouse  the  Queen  from  her  melan- 
choly, whereupon  Rizzio  takes  his  lute  and  sings  the  can- 
zonet ("  Calla  stagion  novella "),  a  slow  and  graceful 
movement,  closing  with  a  sensuous  allegro,  written  in  the 
genuine  Italian  style,  though  rather  Verdi-ish  for  the  times 
of  Rizzio.  The  canzonet  has  the  desired  effect,  and  is  fol- 
lowed by  a  delightful  French  romance,  sung  by  the  Queen, 
in  which  a  tender  minor  theme  is  set  off  against  a  fasci- 
nating waltz  melody,  closing  with  a  brilliant  Finale  ("  In 
my  pleasant  land  of  France  ").  At  the  close  of  the  pretty 
romance  the  revel  begins  with  a  stately  minuet  and  vocal 
trio  ("  Fal,  lal,  la  ")  for  the  Queen,  Mary  Beatoun,  and 
Rizzio.  It  is  interrupted  by  the  unison  psalm-tune  of  the 
Puritans,  a  stern,  severe  old  melody  set  to  a  "  moving 
bass "  accompaniment  ("  O  thou  who  sittest  on  the 
throne  ").  There  is  a  temporary  pause  in  the  revel,  but 
at  the  Queen's  command  it  is  resumed  with  a  quick-step 
introducetl  by  the  pipes  and  full  of  the  genuine  Scotch 


256     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

spirit  and  bustle,  the  "  Fal  lal "  trio  and  chorus  still  ac- 
companying it.  It  is  interrupted  afresh  by  a  repetition  of 
the  psalm  ("  A  hand  of  fire  was  on  the  wall  "),  after  which 
John  Knox  enters.  With  his  entrance  the  gay  music 
closes  and  the  work  assumes  a  gloomy,  tragic  cast  as  the 
dialogue  proceeds  and  the  terrible  incidents  of  the  proph- 
ecy are  unfolded.  It  is  a  relief  when  they  join  in  a  hope- 
ful duet  ("  E'en  if  earth  should  wholly  fail  me  ")  which  is 
quiet  and  melodious.  It  leads  to  the  Queen's  farewell,  a 
quaintly  written  bit,  with  an  old-fashioned  cadenza,  fol- 
lowed by  the  final  chorus,  which  takes  up  a  theme  in  the 
same  joyous  spirit  as  the  opening  one  ("  Hence  with  evil 
omen  "). 


LISZT 

1811-1886 

THE  BELLS  OF  STRASBURG 

E  Glocken  des  Strassburger  Munsters "  (" The 
Bells  of  Strasburg  Cathedral ")  was  written  in 
1874,  and  is  dedicated  to  the  poet  Longfellow,  from  whose 
"  Golden  Legend  "  the  composer  took  his  theme  for  musi- 
cal treatment.  The  cantata,  however,  deals  simply  with 
the  prologue,  describing  the  futile  attempt  of  Lucifer  and 
the  Powers  of  the  Air  to  tear  down  the  cross  of  the  Stras- 
burg Cathedral  during  the  night  storm.  It  was  a  subject 
peculiarly  attractive  to  Liszt,  as  it  offered  him  free  scope 
for  his  fancies  and  unlimited  opportunity  for  the  display  of 
his  unique  and  sometimes  eccentric  orchestration.  The 
work  is  written  for  barytone  solo  and  mixed  chorus,  and 
is  divided  into  two  parts,  —  a  short  prelude  which  is  en- 
titled "  Excelsior,  "  andante  maestoso,  and  in  which  this 
word  is  several  times  repeated  by  the  chorus  with  gradu- 
ally increasing  power  from  piano  to  fortissimo ;  and  "  The 
Bells,"  which  comprises  the  principal  part  of  the  work. 

The  second  part  opens  with  a  massive  introduction  in 
which  the  bells,  horns,  and  trumpets  play  an  important 
part,  leading  up  to  the  furious  invocation  of  Lucifer 
("  Hasten  !  Hasten  !  O  ye  spirits  ! ").  Without  a  break 
comes  the  response  of  the  spirits,  first  and  second  sopranos, 
altos,  and  tenors  ("  Oh,  we  cannot,  for  around  it  "),  fol- 
lowed by  the  Latin  chant  of  the  bells  sung  by  tenors  and 
basses,  with  a  soft  tremolo  accompaniment  ("  Laudo  Deum 
verum  !  ").  Again  with  increasing  power  Lucifer  shouts 
his  command  ("Lower!  Lower!  Hover  downward  !"). 


258     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

As  before,  the  chorus  responds  in  a  sweet,  harmon- 
ious strain  ("  All  thy  thunders  here  are  harmless "), 
again  followed  by  the  slow  and  sonorous  chant  of  the  bells 
("  Defunctos  ploro  !  ").  Lucifer  reiterates  his  command 
with  constantly  increasing  energy  ("  Shake  the  case- 
ments"). In  its  response  this  time  the  chorus  is  full  of 
energy  and  impetuosity  as  it  shouts  with  great  power,  "  Oh, 
we  cannot !  the  Archangel  Michael  flames  from  every  win- 
dow." The  chant  of  the  bells  is  now  taken  by  the  basses 
alone  ("  Funera  plango  !  ").  Lucifer  makes  his  last  ap- 
peal with  all  the  strength  that  voice  and  orchestra  can 
reach  ("Aim  your  lightnings").  In  the  choral  response 
("The  Apostles  and  the  martyrs  wrapped  in  mantles  ")  the 
sopranos  and  altos  are  in  unison,  making  with  the  first 
and  second  tenors  a  splendid  effect.  For  the  last  time 
the  first  and  second  basses  sing  the  chant  of  the  bells 
("  Excito  lentos  !  ").  With  no  abatement  of  vigor  the  baf- 
fled Lucifer  sounds  his  signal  for  retreat,  and  the  voices 
reply,  sopranos  and  altos  in  unison  ("  Onward !  on- 
ward !  With  the  night-wind.")  As  the  voices  die  away, 
choir,  organ,  and  orchestra  join  with  majestic  effect  in  the 
intonation  of  the  Gregorian  chant  ("  Nocte  surgentes  "). 

The  cantata  shows  Liszt's  talent  rather  than  his  genius. 
It  is  a  wonderful  mosaic-work  of  fancies,  rather  than  an 
original,  studied  composition  with  definite  purpose.  Its 
motives,  while  not  inspired,  are  finely  conceived,  and  are 
presented  not  only  gracefully,  but  in  keeping  with  the 
spirituality  of  the  subject. 

THE  LEGEND  OF  THE  HOLY  ELIZABETH 

The  oratorio,  "Legend  of  the  Holy  Elizabeth,"  was 
written  in  1864,  and  first  produced  August  15,  1865,  upon 
the  occasion  of  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  the  Conserv- 
atory of  Pesth-Ofen.  The  text  is  by  Otto  Roquette,  and 


LISZT  259 

was  inspired  by  Moritz  von  Schwind's  frescos  at  the  Wart- 
burg  representing  scenes  in  the  life  of  the  saint. 

The  characters  introduced  in  the  oratorio  are  Saint  Eliz- 
abeth, Landgrave  Ludwig,  Landgrave  Hermann,  Landgra- 
vine Sophie,  a  Hungarian  Magnate,  the  Seneschal,  and  the 
Emperor  Frederick  II.  The  last  three  roles  are  usually 
assigned  to  Ludwig,  thus  reducing  the  number  of  solo- 
singers  to  four.  The  work  is  laid  out  in  two  parts,  each 
having  three  scenes  corresponding  in  subjects  with  Von 
Schwind's  six  frescos.  The  first  describes  the  arrival  of 
Elizabeth  at  the  Wartburg,  and  the  welcome  she  receives. 
In  the  second  she  is  married,  and  her  husband,  Ludwig, 
has  succeeded  to  the  throne.  His  devotion  to  knight- 
errantry  leads  him  from  home.  During  his  absence  a 
famine  breaks  out,  and  Elizabeth  in  her  devotion  to  the 
sufferers  impoverishes  herself  and  incurs  the  wrath  of  her 
mother-in-law,  the  Landgravine  Sophie.  While  carrying  a 
basket  of  bread  and  wine  one  day  to  the  victims  of  the 
scourge,  she  is  met  by  her  husband,  who  has  unexpectedly 
returned.  Amazed  at  the  absence  of  her  attendants,  he 
questions  her,  and  she  excuses  herself  with  the  plea  that 
she  has  been  gathering  flowers.  Doubting  the  truth  of 
her  statement,  he  snatches  the  basket  from  her.  She  con- 
fesses her  falsehood ;  but  upon  examining  the  basket  it  is 
found  to  be  full  of  roses.  The  Lord  has  performed  a  mir- 
acle. Overcome  with  remorse  for  doubting  her,  Ludwig 
begs  her  forgiveness,  and  the  two  join  in  prayer  that  the 
Lord  may  continue  His  goodness  to  them.  The  third 
scene  opens  at  Schmalkald,  on  the  borders  of  Thuringia, 
where  Ludwig  has  assembled  his  knights  and  nobles  who 
are  to  accompany  him  to  the  Holy  Land.  They  declare 
their  allegiance  to  Ludwig  as  their  leader,  and  he  calls  upon 
them  also  to  swear  fealty  to  his  wife.  After  a  sad  farewell 
Ludwig  rides  away  at  the  head  of  his  Crusaders.  The 
fourth  scene  opens  with  the  news  of  Ludwig's  death.  The 


260     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

Landgravine  claims  the  castle  as  her  inheritance,  compels 
Elizabeth  to  abandon  the  regency,  and  drives  her  out  in 
the  midst  of  a  furious  storm.  In  the  fifth  scene  we  find 
her  at  a  hospital  which  she  has  founded,  and,  notwithstand- 
ing her  own  troubles  and  sufferings,  still  ministering  to 
others  in  like  affliction.  This  scene  closes  with  her  death, 
and  in  the  last  we  have  the  ceremonies  of  her  canoniza- 
tion at  Marpurg. 

The  first  scene  opens  with  a  long  orchestral  introduction, 
working  up  to  a  powerful  climax,  and  based  mainly  upon  a 
theme  from  the  old  church  service,  which  is  Elizabeth's 
motive,  and  is  frequently  heard  throughout  the  work.  An 
animated  prelude  which  follows  it  introduces  the  opening 
chorus  ("Welcome  the  bride").  A  brief  solo  by  Land- 
grave Hermann  ("Welcome,  my  little  daughter")  and 
another  of  a  national  character  by  the  Hungarian  Magnate 
attending  the  bride  intervene,  and  again  the  chorus  break 
out  in  noisy  welcome.  After  a  dignified  solo  by  Hermann 
and  a  brief  dialogue  between  Ludwig  and  Elizabeth,  a  light, 
graceful  allegretto  ensues,  leading  up  to  a  children's  chorus 
("  Merriest  games  with  thee  would  we  play  "),  which  is 
delightfully  fresh  and  joyous  in  its  character.  At  its  close 
the  chorus  of  welcome  resumes,  and  the  scene  ends  with  a 
ritornelle  of  a  plaintive  kind,  foreboding  the  sorrow  which 
is  fast  approaching. 

The  second  scene,  after  a  short  prelude,  opens  with 
Ludwig's  hunting-song  ("From  the  mists  of  the  valleys"), 
which  is  written  in  the  conventional  style  of  songs  of  this 
class,  although  it  has  two  distinct  movements  in  strong 
contrast.  As  he  meets  Elizabeth,  a  dialogue  ensues,  in- 
cluding the  scene  of  the  rose  miracle,  leading  up  to  a  brief 
chorus  ("  The  Lord  has  done  a  wonder  "),  and  followed  by 
an  impressive  duet  in  church  style  ("  Him  we  worship  and 
praise  this  day  ").  The  scene  closes  with  an  ensemble,  a 
duet  with  full  choral  harmony,  worked  up  with  constantly 


LISZT  261 

increasing  power  and  set  to  an  accompaniment  full  of  rich 
color  and  brilliant  effect. 

The  third  scene  opens  with  the  song  of  the  Crusaders, 
an  impetuous  and  brilliant  chorus  ("  In  Palestine,  the  Holy 
Land  "),  the  accompaniment  to  which  is  an  independent 
march  movement.  The  stately  rhythm  is  followed  by  a 
solo  by  the  Landgrave,  bidding  farewell  to  Elizabeth  and 
appealing  to  his  subjects  to  be  loyal  to  her.  The  chorus 
replies  in  a  short  number,  based  upon  the  Hungarian  mel- 
ody which  has  already  been  heard.  Elizabeth  follows  with 
a  tender  but  passionate  appeal  to  her  husband  ("  Oh, 
tarry!  oh,  shorten  not  the  hour"),  leading  to  a  solo 
("  With  grief  my  spirit  wrestles  "),  which  is  full  of  the  pain 
of  parting.  A  long  dialogue  follows  between  them,  inter- 
rupted here  and  there  by  the  strains  of  the  Crusaders,  in 
which  finally  the  whole  chorus  join  with  great  power  in  a 
martial  but  sorrowful  style.  As  it  comes  to  a  close,  the 
orchestra  breaks  out  into  the  Crusaders'  March,  the  time 
gradually  accelerating  as  well  as  the  force,  until  it  reaches 
a  tremendous  climax.  The  chorus  once  more  resumes  its 
shout  of  jubilee,  and  the  brilliant  scene  comes  to  an  end. 

In  the  fourth  scene  a  slow  and  mournful  movement, 
followed  by  an  allegro  ominous  and  agitated  in  style,  intro- 
duces the  Landgravine  Sophie,  the  evil  genius  of  the  Wart- 
burg.  The  tidings  of  the  death  of  Ludwig  have  come,  and 
with  fierce  declamation  she  orders  Elizabeth  away  from  the 
castle.  The  latter  replies  in  an  aria  ("  Oh,  day  of  mourn- 
ing, day  of  sorrow  !  ")  marked  by  sorrowful  lamentation. 
Sophie  again  hurls  her  imprecations,  and  a  dramatic  dia- 
logue ensues,  which  takes  the  trio  form  as  the  reluctant 
Seneschal  consents  to  enforce  the  cruel  order.  Once 
more  Elizabeth  tenderly  appeals  to  her  in  the  aria  ("  Thou 
too  art  a  mother").  Sophie  impatiently  and  fiercely  ex- 
claims, "  No  longer  tarry  !  "  The  scene  comes  to  an  end 
with  Elizabeth's  lament  as  she  goes  out  into  the  storm, 


262     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

which  is  vividly  described  in  an  orchestral  movement,  in- 
terspersed with  vocal  solos. 

The  fifth  scene  opens  with  a  long  declamatory  solo  by 
Elizabeth,  in  which  she  recalls  the  dream  of  childhood,  — 
closing  with  an  orchestral  movement  of  the  same  general 
character.  It  is  followed  by  the  full  chorus  ("  Here  'neath 
the  roof  of  want"),  which  after  a  few  bars  is  taken  by  the 
sopranos  and  altos  separately,  closing  with  chorus  again 
and  soprano  solo  ("Elizabeth,  thou  holy  one").  The 
death-scene  follows  ("This  is  no  earthly  night").  Her 
last  words  ("  Unto  mine  end  thy  love  has  led  me  ")  are 
set  to  music  full  of  pathos,  and  as  she  expires,  the  instru- 
mentation dies  away  in  peaceful,  tranquil  strains.  A  semi- 
chorus  ("The  pain  is  over")  closes  the  sad  scene,  the 
ritornelle  at  the  end  being  made  still  more  effective  by  the 
harps,  which  give  it  a  celestial  character. 

The  last  scene  opens  with  an  interlude  which  gathers  up 
all  the  motives  of  the  oratorio,  —  the  Pilgrim's  Song,  the 
Crusaders'  March,  the  Church  Song,  and  the  Hunga- 
rian Air,  —  and  weaves  them  into  a  rich  and  varied  texture 
for  full  orchestra,  bells,  and  drums,  forming  the  funeral 
song  of  the  sainted  Elizabeth.  It  is  followed  by  a  solo 
from  the  Emperor  ("  I  see  assembled  round  the  throne  "), 
—  a  slow  and  dignified  air,  leading  to  the  great  ensemble 
closing  the  work,  and  descriptive  of  the  canonization  of 
Elizabeth.  It  begins  as  an  antiphonal  chorus  ("  Mid 
tears  and  solemn  mourning"),  the  female  chorus  answer- 
ing the  male  and  closing  in  unison.  Once  more  the  Cru- 
saders' March  is  heard  in  the  orchestra  as  the  knights  sing 
("O  Thou  whose  life-blood  streamed").  The  church 
choir  sings  the  chorale  ("  Decorata  novo  flore  "),  the  Hun- 
garian and  German  bishops  intone  their  benedictions,  and 
then  all  join  in  the  powerful  and  broadly  harmonious  hymn 
("  Tu  pro  nobis  mater  pia  "),  closing  with  a  sonorous  and 
majestic  "  Amen." 


LISZT  263 


LES   PRELUDES1 

"  What  is  our  life  but  a  succession  of  preludes  to  that  un- 
known song  whose  first  solemn  note  is  sounded  by  death  ? 
Love  is  the  enchanted  dawn  of  every  heart,  but  what  mortal  is 
there,  over  whose  first  joys  and  happiness  does  not  break  some 
storm,  dispelling  with  its  icy  breath  his  fanciful  illusions,  and 
shattering  his  altar?  What  soul  thus  cruelly  wounded  does 
not  at  times  try  to  dream  away  the  recollection  of  such  storms 
in  the  solitude  of  country  life  ?  And  yet  man,  it  seems,  is  not 
able  to  bear  the  languid  rest  on  Nature's  bosom,  and  when  the 
trumpet  sounds  the  signal  of  danger,  he  hastens  to  join  his 
comrades,  no  matter  what  the  cause  that  calls  him  to  arms. 
He  rushes  into  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  and  amid  the  uproar 
of  the  battle  regains  confidence  in  himself  and  his  powers." 

This  quotation  from  Lamartine's  "  Meditations  Poe'- 
tiques  "  prefaces  the  score  to  the  "  Preludes,"  and  serves  as 
a  guide  to  the  meaning  of  the  composition.  As  this  work 
is  heard,  perhaps,  more  often  than  any  of  the  other  sym- 
phonic poems,  and  also  displays  Liszt's  manner  of  thematic 
treatment  in  as  clear  and  intelligible  a  way  as  any,  we  will 
undertake  to  point  out  to  the  reader  the  many-sided  uses 
in  which  a  simple  motive  can  be  employed,  and  will  at- 
tempt it  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  it  intelligible  to  the 
lay  reader.  The  "  Preludes  "  is  based  on  two  themes,  and 
we  present  them  with  their  variations  in  two  groups,  A 
and  B:  — 


i 


1  The  six  symphonic  poems  by  Liszt  selected  for  analysis  are 
those  most  likely  to  be  heard  in  the  concert-room.  The  remaining 
seven  are  "  Heroide  funebre  " ;  "  Hungaria  " ;  "  Berg  symphonic  " ; 
"  Orpheus  ";  "  Die  Ideale  "  ;  "  Hamlet" ;  and  "  Yonder  Wiege  bis 
zum  Grabe"  ("  From  the  Cradle  to  the  Grave"). 


264     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 


Basses. 


A       pp 


etc.    2 


ff  rf 


ff 

Violins. 

Espressivo  cantando* 


Wind  instruments. 


Oboe. 


Dolce  expressive. 


LSDL £_ 


Horns  and  Trumpets. 

*= 


LISZT 

Horns. 

B    A  moroso  cantando. 


265 


gn~  i      rr*i    r 


i  i 


Dolce. 


Given  a  number  of  intervals  at  i,  by  playing  the  eight 
lines  through,  or  humming  them,  the  reader  will  at  once 
see  that  although  they  appear  in  very  different  shapes  they 
contain  essentially  the  same  notes.  The  line  2  opens 
the  composition  pizzicato  pianissimo  by  the  double  basses 
with  mysterious  effect,  hinting  at  the  "unknown  song." 
The  theme  is  then  enlarged  and  repeated  on  D,  running 
finally  into  a  dominant  chord  on  G,  and  working  up  in  a 
grand  crescendo  to  the  fortissimo  outbreak  at  3,  in  which 
all  the  bass  instruments  carry  the  melody  as  given  above, 
repeated  with  different  harmonies  and  with  ever-increasing 
force,  until  it  appears  after  a  rapid  decrescendo  in  a 
1'istesso  tempo  in  the  violins,  as  at  4.  The  accompani- 
ment of  the  phrase  in  this  form  is  very  beautiful.  The 
violins  connect  or  lead  into  the  different  repeats  with  a 
soaring  figure,  while  the  basses  have  a  figure  somewhat 


266     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

like  the  one  given  at  d,  which  appears  in  that  form  in  the 
accompaniment  of  the  pastorale.  Then  follows  the  stormy 
period  breaking  in  on  life's  happy  spring.  It  will  not  be 
difficult  for  the  listener  to  trace  the  detached  portions  of  the 
motive,  which  appear  throughout  in  connection  chiefly  with 
chromatic  runs  and  a  superabundance  of  diminished  seventh 
chords.  The  trumpet  motive,  in  its  form  as  at  5,  is  also 
brought  in  toward  the  end  of  that  tempestuous  passage. 

When  the  skies  brighten  again,  the  motive  appears  in  its 
most  charming  form  as  at  6  and  7,  with  an  accompani- 
ment in  color  and  form  exceedingly  graceful,  and  flowing 
naturally  into  the  Allegretto  pastorale,  which  is  built  up  on 
the  motive  at  d,  using  the  same  at  first  with  great  ingenuity 
as  a  leading  motive,  and  bringing  out  its  pastoral  character 
by  the  skilful  use  of  oboes,  clarinets,  etc.,  while  later  on  it 
is  used  in  connection  with  the  theme  a,  as  an  accompani- 
ment at  times  below  the  melody,  as  indicated  in  c,  d,  and 
at  times  moving  above  it.  Th«  dreamy,  swinging  motion 
of  the  movement  is  finally  interrupted  by  two  abrupt 
chords,  and  the  Allegro  marziale  opens  with  horns  and 
trumpets,  as  at  8,  connecting  with  the  second  theme  in  its 
martial  garb  at  c,  and  leading  in  triumphant  measures  to  a 
repetition  of  the  main  theme,  as  we  heard  it  once  at  3, 
only  reen forced  with  all  the  resources  known  to  the  modern 
orchestra. 

To  point  out  the  varied  employment  of  the  leading 
motive  by  using  it  only  in  part  or  dwelling  on  its  more 
characteristic  intervals,  by  inverting  it,  and  otherwise, 
would  lead  too  deeply  into  technicalities ;  but  enough  has 
been  given  to  show  how  by  change  of  rhythm  and  other 
means  of  expression  an  apparently  simple  succession  of 
intervals  can  be  developed  into  a  tone-poem.  In  Liszt's 
orchestral  compositions  one  should  always  keep  the  lead- 
ing motives  in  mind,  as  nearly  all  are  written  from  that 
standpoint. 


FRANZ  LISZT 


LISZT  267 


PROMETHEUS 

Liszt's  cantata  "Prometheus,"  composed  in  1850,  is 
based  upon  the  poem  of  the  same  name,  written  by 
Johann  Gottfried  von  Herder,  the  court  preacher  of 
Weimar.  The  poem  closely  follows  the  well-known  legend 
of  Prometheus'  punishment  for  stealing  fire  from  heaven, 
and  his  ultimate  rescue  by  Hercules  from  the  vulture  which 
preyed  upon  his  vitals. 

In  building  np  his  cantata  Liszt  has  introduced  several 
prologues  from  the  poem  without  music,  which  serve  as 
narrators  explaining  the  situations,  linking  and  leading  up 
to  the  musical  numbers,  which  are  mainly  choral.  Thus 
the  opening  prologue  pictures  the  sufferings  of  Prometheus, 
the  crime  for  which  he  is  forced  to  endure  such  a  terrible 
penalty,  and  the  patience,  hope,  and  heroism  of  the  victim. 
The  closing  lines  introduce  the  opening  chorus  of  sea- 
nymphs  ("  Prometheus,  woe  to  thee  !  "),  for  female  voices, 
arranged  in  double  parts,  and  set  to  a  restless,  agitated 
accompaniment,  expressive  of  fear  and  despair. 

The  second  prologue,  reciting  the  wrath  of  Oceanus 
"  on  his  swift-winged  ocean  steed,"  that  mortals  should 
have  dared  to  vex  his  peaceful  waters,  and  the  reply  of 
Prometheus  that  "  on  the  broad  earth  each  place  is  free  to 
all,"  introduces  the  choruses  of  Tritons  and  Oceanides. 
The  first  is  a  mixed  chorus  full  of  brightness  and  spirit 
("Freedom!  afar  from  land  upon  the  open  sea"). 
Their  exultant  song  is  followed  by  a  fascinating  melody 
("  Hail !  O  Prometheus,  hail !  ")  for  female  chorus,  with 
short  but  expressive  solos  for  soprano  and  alto  ("  When 
to  our  waters  the  golden  time  shall  come"),  the  number 
closing  with  double  chorus  in  full,  rich  harmony  ("  Holy 
and  grand  and  free  is  the  gift  of  heaven"). 

Thereupon   follows  the    third  prologue,  introducing  a 


268     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

chorus  of  Dryads  ("Woe  to  thee,  Prometheus")  of  the 
same  general  character  as  the  opening  chorus  of  sea- 
nymphs,  and  containing  a  dramatic  and  declamatory  alto 
solo  ("Deserted  stand  God's  sacred  altars  in  the  old 
forest").  A  dialogue  follows  between  Gsea  and  Pro- 
metheus, in  which  the  latter  bravely  defends  his  course. 
As  the  Dryads  disappear,  Prometheus  soliloquizes  ("  This 
is,  in  truth,  the  noblest  deed").  A  mixed  chorus  of 
gleaners  follows  ("With  the  lark  sweetly  singing"),  which 
is  graceful  and  melodious. 

In  the  next  prologue  Ceres  consoles  Prometheus,  and 
while  she  is  speaking  a  shout  of  gladness  rises  and  Bacchus 
appears.  He  smites  the  rock,  and  at  his  touch  a  bower  of 
grape-vines  and  ivy  boughs  interlaces  over  the  head  of  the 
Titan  and  shadows  him.  This  serves  to  introduce  the 
chorus  of  vine-dressers  ("  Hail  to  the  pleasure-giver  !  "),  a 
lively  strain  for  male  voices  with  an  effective  solo  quartette. 
As  Prometheus  resumes  his  soliloquy,  Hermes  approaches, 
leading  Pandora,  and  seeks  to  allure  him  from  his  purpose 
by  her  enchantments,  but  in  vain.  The  voices  of  the 
spirits  in  the  lower  regions  sing  a  melodramatic  chorus 
("  Woe  !  woe  !  the  sacred  sleep  of  the  dead  has  been  dis- 
turbed ").  An  allegro  for  orchestra  follows,  preluding  the 
approach  of  Hercules,  who  bends  his  giant  bow  and  kills 
the  vulture,  strikes  the  fetters  off,  and  bids  him  "  Go 
hence  unto  thy  mother's  throne."  The  scene  introduces 
the  seventh  number  ("  All  human  foresight  wanders  in 
deepest  night  "),  an  expressive  and  stately  male  chorus 
with  solo  quartette. 

The  last  prologue  describes  the  scene  at  the  throne  of 
Themis,  the  pardon  of  Prometheus,  and  her  assurance 
that  "  Henceforth  Olympus  smiles  upon  the  earth."  Pallas 
presents  him  with  a  veiled  figure  as  the  reward  of  his 
heroism,  "  who  will  bring  to  thy  race  the  richest  blessing, 
—  Truth."  The  goddess  unveils  her  and  declares  her 


LISZT  269 

name  "Agathea.  She  brings  to  man  the  purest,  holiest 
gift,  —  Charity."  The  closing  chorus  of  the  Muses  follows 
("Of  all  bright  thoughts  that  bloom  on  earth"). 


TASSO 

The  sad  fate  of  the  unhappy  Italian  has  furnished 
Goethe  and  Byron  with  the  material  for  great  poetical 
works.  Liszt  says  he  was  most  impressed  by  the  power- 
ful conception  of  Byron,  who  introduces  Tasso  in  prison, 
in  a  monologue,  but  could  not  confine  himself  to  the 
English  poet,  as  he  wanted  to  portray  also  his  final 
triumph.  Misjudged  in  life,  he  secured  at  his  death  a 
glorification  of  his  genius  which  overwhelmed  his  lifelong 
enemies  and  persecutors.  Liszt  therefore  called  his  sym- 
phonic poem,  "  Lamento  e  Trionfo,"  suffering  and  trium- 
phant vindication  being  the  great  contrasts  in  the  life  of 
the  poet. 

Full  of  sadness  and  grief  almost  beyond  endurance,  the 
opening  phrase  expresses  the  very  soul  of  Tasso.  After  its 
development,  an  accelerando  leads  to  an  Allegro  strepi- 
toso,  which  takes  us  to  the  prison  of  the  poet,  the  harsh 
chords,  although  still  formed  on  the  triplet  figure  of  the 
main  theme,  fairly  making  us  feel  the  rattling  of  the  chains, 
while  the  chromatic  steps  of  the  lament  appear  fortissimo 
to  ever-changing,  diminished  seventh  chords.  After  a 
repetition  of  the  Lento,  the  main  theme  enters  at  an  Ada- 
gio mesto,  the  melody  being  given  to  bass  clarinet  and 
'cellos  at  first,  con  sordini,  and  then  repeated  by  the  vio- 
lins. A  new  melody  then  appears  for  'cellos  and  horn, 
repeated  by  the  violins,  which  continue  with  an  imploring 
motive  accompanied  by  descending  chromatics,  after  which 
the  main  theme  reappears,  this  time  with  an  instrumenta- 
tion rich  and  full,  the  brasses  carrying  the  melody  and 
changing  its  character  to  one  of  stately  festivity,  ending 


2;o     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

in  a  recitative  embodying  the  closing  motive.  An  Alle- 
gretto in  F  sharp  major  follows  with  a  theme  representing, 
as  it  were,  the  princess  who  ensnared  the  heart  of  the 
poet,  and  which  in  its  further  working-up  appears  in  the 
wind  instruments,  contrasted  with  a  broader  and  more 
sentimental  phrase  for  the  strings.  This  phrase  is  devel- 
oped to  some  length,  after  which  the  Allegro  strepitoso 
reenters  and  closes  the  Lamento.  From  here  on,  the 
Trionfo  claims  its  rights.  The  very  opening  of  the  Al- 
legro molto  con  brio,  although  still  built  upon  the  same 
material,  is  changed  by  characteristic  instrumentation  and 
appropriate  tempos  into  jubilant  triumph.  This  last  part 
displays  in  the  most  brilliant  manner  the  composer's  mas- 
tery over  musical  forms,  in  combining  the  different  themes 
and  motives,  and  moulding  them  by  his  great  feeling  for 
tone-color  into  apparently  new  forms,  startling  us  through- 
out by  the  magic  transformation  of  the  lament  into  glo- 
rious triumph,  yet  all  based  on  the  same  melodic  design. 

FESTKLANGE 

The  Allegro  mosso  con  brio,  in  the  key  of  C  major, 
begins  with  a  martial  rhythm  given  out  by  the  kettle- 
drums, which  is  taken  up  by  the  horns  and  other  instru- 
ments, until,  passing  through  a  non-accord,  it  rests  on  a 
second  accord  of  C  with  the  C  flat  in  the  basses,  and  as 
such  is  treated  in  the  manner  of  a  cadenza,  various  de- 
vices of  scale  figures  and  broken  chords  furnishing  the 
superstructure.  This  whole  section,  repeated  a  step  higher, 
and  closing  on  a  second  accord  of  D,  with  C  in  the  basses, 
then  runs  into  an  Andante  sostenuto,  which,  after  a  short 
passage  for  the  brasses,  develops  a  delicate  treatment  of  a 
non-accord  on  G  and  A,  and  after  eight  measures  returns 
into  the  first  tempo,  and,  with  a  short  modulation,  strikes 
the  principal  theme,  which  is  worked  up  to  considerable 


LISZT  271 

length,  when  the  rhythm  of  the  Introduction  enters  in  a 
Coda  of  eight  measures,  connecting  with  an  Allegretto  un 
poco  mosso,  Tempo  di  Polacca,  —  a  dance  form  which, 
next  to  the  march,  and  akin  to  the  stately  polonaise,  is 
most  appropriate  for  the  expression  of  a  festive  scene.  Its 
chief  melody  closes  with  a  trill  cadenza,  after  which  the 
violins  respond  with  a  phrase  based  on  inversion,  followed 
by  a  livelier  figure  of  a  more  pronounced  polacca  charac- 
ter, which  appears  alternately  in  the  violins  and  flutes,  and 
which  predominates  during  the  rest  of  the  movement,  until 
its  return  to  the  Tempo  primo.  The  Allegro  mosso  con 
brio  is  repeated  in  more  extended  form,  and  with  new  and 
enriched  orchestration,  only  to  return  once  more  to  the 
Polacca  intermezzo,  treated  with  similar  variations  and 
leading  into  the  last  Allegro  in  common  time.  Utilizing 
the  themes  of  the  march  movement  and  reiterating  the 
more  essential  motives,  it  runs  into  the  Coda,  which  by 
the  free  use  of  the  trumpet  figure  at  the  very  opening  and 
a  very  forcible  ascending  motive  in  the  basses  brings  the 
composition  to  a  close  in  truly  festive  style. 

MAZEPPA 

"  Mazeppa  "  is  the  sixth  in  the  list  of  Liszt's  symphonic 
poems,  and  has  for  its  theme  the  story  of  the  hero  of  the 
steppes  which  has  been  made  familiar  by  Byron's  poem. 
Liszt,  however,  took  for  the  groundwork  of  his  composi- 
tion the  "  Mazeppa  "  of  Victor  Hugo,  who,  although  fol- 
lowing the  story  as  told  by  Byron,  idealizes  the  incident 
into  an  allegory  of  "  the  unbridled  flight  of  genius  and 
its  final  triumph  through  suffering  and  adversity." 

The  musical  treatment  is  divided  into  three  sections. 
An  Allegro  agitato,  in  D  minor,  illustrates  the  wild  flight 
of  the  maddened  horse,  and  the  torture,  suffering,  and 
despair  of  Mazeppa.  The  second  movement,  a  short 


272     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

Andante,  pictures  the  end  of  the  mad  race,  the  dead 
steed,  the  human  victim  lying  in  utter  misery,  his  life- 
blood  ebbing  slowly,  "  redder  than  the  maple  when  spring 
forces  the  young  leaves."  A  short  interlude  leads  into 
the  Allegro  marziale,  in  D  major  ("To  him  greatness 
arises  from  suffering  and  anguish ;  the  mantle  of  the  het- 
man  will  fall  upon  him,  and  all  will  bow  before  him"). 
The  treatment  of  the  musical  themes  is  similar  to  that  gen- 
erally employed  by  Liszt  as  set  forth  in  the  description 
of'Les  Preludes." 

After  an  Introduction  of  eighteen  measures,  which  starts 
from  an  abrupt  discord  with  a  passage  in  triplets  for  the 
strings,  like  the  wild  tramping  of  the  horse  ("They  fly 
through  the  narrow  straits  of  the  valley  as  storms  that 
force  their  way  through  the  mountain  gorges,  like  a  falling 
star"),  we  strike  the  main  theme.  It  is  given  out  by  the 
basses  and  trombones,  and  worked  out  with  great  effect. 
It  may  be  mentioned  here  that  in  the  first  part  Liszt,  in 
rushing  through  diminished  seventh  chords,  makes  great 
use  of"violini  divisi ; "  that  is,  by  using  as  many  as  six 
different  violin  parts,  and  once  as  many  as  eleven,  thereby 
gaining  great  richness  of  sound,  and  at  the  same  time  re- 
taining the  rushing  motion  expressive  of  the  fearful  ride. 
A  chromatic  scale  in  the  basses  pressing  upward  against  a 
trill  on  C  sharp  in  the  violins  forms  a  short  counter- 
theme,  and  leads  to  the  introduction  of  the  main  theme, 
which  has  been  called  the  Mazeppa  motive  proper.  In 
calling  attention  to  the  first  three  steps,  repeated  by  the 
winds  through  twelve  measures,  with  the  note  gemendo 
("groaning")  as  a  guide  for  their  characteristic  expres- 
sion, we  turn  to  the  Andante,  only  to  find  the  same 
motive,  used  this  time  plaintively,  "quasi  recitative." 
During  the  next  twelve  measures  the  step  of  the  sixth 
continually  appears  as  a  fragment  of  the  motive. 

The  final  Allegro  marziale  enters  with  a  new  theme,  the 


LISZT  273 

ascending  intervals  of  which  form  a  fine  contrast  with  the 
drooping  character  or  the  Mazeppa  motive.  An  original 
Cossack  tempo  in  the  trio  brings  the  composition  to  a 
triumphant  close,  not,  however,  without  an  occasional  re- 
minder of  the  first  motive. 


HUNNENSCHLACHT 

The  "  Hunnenschlacht "  ("The  Battle  of  the  Huns") 
was  suggested  by  Kaulbach's  cartoon  representing  the  le- 
gend of  the  battle  in  mid-air  between  the  spirits  of  the 
Huns  and  of  the  Romans  who  had  fallen  before  the  walls 
of  their  city.  The  music  depicts  the  war  of  races  and  the 
final  triumph  of  the  Christian  faith.  The  opening,  Allegro 
non  troppo  tempestuoso,  in  C  minor,  begins  with  the  low 
rumbling  of  kettle-drums,  and  an  ascending  motive  in 
which  the  uncanny  step  of  the  minor  scale  prevails.  The 
'cellos  start,  and  are  soon  reenforced  by  the  other  strings 
in  unison.  The  diminished  seventh  chord,  most  befitting 
to  the  minor  scale,  is  extensively  employed  in  the  brasses 
and  farther  on  in  the  double  basses.  At  a  Piu  mosso 
allegro  energico  assai,  these  chords  in  a  somewhat  altered 
form  are  made  the  chief  motive  for  the  first  part.  After  a 
repetition  of  the  opening  theme,  the  'cellos  and  bassoons 
give  out  the  war-cry,  piano,  as  if  in  the  far  distance,  to  the 
low  rumbling  of  the  drums.  The  time  then  changes,  and 
a  new  rhythmic  motive  enters,  closing  with  a  short  sixtole 
figure  in  the  violins  which  enhances  the  wild  character  of 
the  music.  During  the  fray  the  trombones  give  out  the 
strains  of  the  chorale,  representing  the  Christian  warriors. 
The  war-cry  motive  resounds  through  all  the  wind  instru- 
ments, while  the  other  themes  to  which  we  have  drawn 
attention,  in  succession  or  used  jointly,  keep  up  the  tur- 
moil. Only  twice  appears  a  new  feature  in  a  succession 
of  scale  runs,  fortissimo,  in  unison  for  the  strings.  The 

18 


274     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

peculiar  rhythm  lends  itself  well  to  the  increasing  stormy 
character.  The  fortissimos  grow  into  double  fortissimos, 
the  agitato  into  a  furioso,  until  all  the  forces  are  engaged, 
and  enter  with  the  whole  weight  of  the  orchestra  on  the 
Andante,  in  E  flat,  the  chord  being  held  by  the  higher  in- 
struments, while  the  basses  of  strings  and  brasses  repeat  the 
war-cry  double  fortissimo,  on  the  three  steps  of  the  major 
chord  of  E  flat.  They  cease  abruptly,  and  the  organ  takes 
up  the  old  hymn,  "  Crux  fidelis,  inter  omnes." 

The  strains  of  the  chorale,  which  sound  as  if  from  afar, 
are  interrupted  by  the  overwhelming  fanfare  opening  the 
Andante,  until  the  "  Crux  fidelis  "  claims  its  right,  and 
a  very  beautiful  scoring  of  the  fine  old  melody,  set  off  by 
truly  Gothic  arabesques  in  solo  figures  for  the  violin,  oboe, 
and  flute,  leads  to  a  peaceful  and  restful  mood.  The  final 
Allegro,  in  the  key  of  C,  grows  gradually  into  the  hymn  of 
triumph.  The  war-cry  resounds  only  mezzo  forte,  and  in 
stately,  solemn  tempo  the  chorale  increases  in  breadth  of 
instrumentation.  The  stretto  opens  a  long  crescendo,  and 
the  organ  finally  joins  the  orchestral  forces  with  whatever 
resources  the  instrument  may  have,  dominating  the  grand 
close  with  long-held  chords,  while  the  orchestra  accents 
only  with  abrupt  chords  the  pompous  triumphal  march  of 
the  victorious  legions. 


THE  FAUST  SYMPHONY 

1.  ALLEGRO.     (Faust.) 

2.  ANDANTE.     (Gretchen.) 

3.  SCHERZO.     (Mephistopheles.) 

The  Faust  Symphony,  the  most  important  and  most 
artistically  conceived  of  all  Liszt's  orchestral  works,  while 
it  is  a  prominent  illustration  of  programme-music,  is  unique 
in  this  respect,  that  it  is  not  a  programme  of  scenes  or 
situations,  but  a  series  of  delineations  of  character.  Liszt 


LISZT  275 

himself  styles  the  three  movements  of  the  symphony 
"  Charakterbilder  "  ("  Character-pictures"),  and  has  named 
them  for  the  three  leading  dramatis  personce  in  Goethe's 
poem,  —  Faust,  Gretchen,  and  Mephistopheles.  He  gives 
us  no  further  programme.  Indeed  that  would  have  been 
impossible,  for  he  confines  his  purpose  to  the  development 
of  these  "  bilder  "  from  a  psychological  point  of  view,  pay- 
ing no  regard  to  the  dramatic  side  of  the  poem,  except 
in  the  Finale  of  the  last  movement,  where  the  poet's 
Chorus  Mysticus  is  introduced,  typifying  the  final  salvation 
of  Faust  and  his  reunion  with  Gretchen. 

The  first  movement,  "  Faust,"  is  intended  to  typify  the 
longings,  aspirations,  and  sufferings  of  man,  with  Faust  as 
the  illustration.  Four  themes  are  utilized  in  the  expres- 
sion of  Faust's  traits  of  character.  The  first,  Lento,  clearly 
enough  illustrates  the  dissatisfaction,  restless  longing,  sa- 
tiety, and  aspiration,  which  are  so  forcibly  defined  in 
Goethe's  prologue.  Massive  chords  introduce  it.  It 
changes  to  a  monologue,  passing  from  instrument  to  instru- 
ment, and  then  develops  into  an  Allegro  impetuoso,  as  if 
the  sadness  of  the  character  had  given  place  to  fixed  reso- 
lution. The  second  theme,  Allegro  agitato,  which  is 
brighter  and  more  vivacious  in  character,  shows  the  dawn- 
ing of  hope.  A  brief  episode,  a  moment  of  wild  fancy, 
as  it  were,  passes,  in  which  the  old  feeling  appears  in  hints 
of  the  opening  theme,  but  soon  gives  way  to  the  third 
theme,  introduced  by  the  horns  and  clarinets.  It  is  a  mel- 
ody at  once  refined  and  enthusiastic,  dramatic  in  expres- 
sion, and  forming  one  of  the  principal  motives  of  the  work. 
The  fourth  and  last  theme  now  appears,  full  of  power  and 
vigor,  foreshadowing,  with  its  trumpet  calls,  the  stirring 
activity  which  has  taken  the  place  of  doubt  in  Faust's 
nature.  After  this  the  thematic  material  as  set  forth  is 
worked  up  in  genuine  symphonic  form. 

There  is  as  marked  a  contrast  between  the  first  and 


276     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

second  movements  of  the  symphony  as  there  is  between 
the  restlessness  and  supernaturalism  of  the  opening  scenes 
of  Faust  and  the  sweetness  and  simplicity  of  Gretchen's 
life  before  it  is  disturbed  by  passion.  After  a  short  pre- 
lude the  first  theme  of  the  Gretchen  movement  —  a  gentle, 
tender  melody  —  is  given  out  by  the  oboe,  with  double- 
bass  accompaniment.  The  second  theme,  marked  Dolce 
amoroso,  tells  its  own  story  of  the  love  which  has  made 
Gretchen  its  victim.  Between  these  are  several  charming 
episodes,  one  of  them  with  its  gradual  crescendo  evidently 
indicating  her  questioning  of  the  daisy,  "  He  loves  me,  he 
loves  me  not."  At  last  the  horn  sounds  Faust's  love  mo- 
tive, which  we  have  already  encountered  in  the  first  move- 
ment, followed  by  the  love-scene,  which  is  wrought  out 
with  fascinating  skill,  rising  to  the  ecstasy  of  passion  and 
dying  away  in  gentle  content. 

The  third  movement,  "  Mephistopheles,"  takes  the 
place  of  the  Scherzo  in  the  regular  form.  It  typifies  the 
appearance  of  the  spirit  who  denies,  with  all  his  cynicism 
and  sneers.  Liszt  has  indicated  these  qualities  in  a  subtle 
way.  Mephistopheles  has  no  symbolical  theme.  His 
constant  purpose  is  to  satirize  and  pervert  the  motives  of 
his  victim,  and  he  begins  his  cynical  work  at  once.  The 
themes  which  characterize  Faust  in  the  opening  movement 
reappear,  but  they  are  only  distorted  and  caricatured  remi- 
niscences, showing  the  power  which  the  evil  principle  has 
gained  over  its  intended  victim.  The  love  motive  is  bur- 
lesqued and  sneered  at,  but  after  the  fiend  has  satisfied  his 
malicious  humor  there  comes  a  solemn  episode.  The  up- 
roar ceases,  and  in  the  grateful  silence  is  heard  the  tender 
Gretchen  motive  in  all  its  beauty.  Even  Mephistopheles 
cannot  withstand  its  pure  influence.  He  leaves  the  field 
discomfited  ;  and  then  by  a  sudden  transition  we  pass  to 
the  purer  heights.  The  solemn  strains  of  the  organ  are 
heard,  and  a  mannerchor,  the  Chorus  Mysticus,  intones, 


LISZT  277 

a  la  capella,  the  chant  ("All  things  transitory").  A  solo 
tenor  enters  with  the  Gretchen  motive,  and  the  symphony 
comes  to  its  mystic  and  triumphant  close. 


A  SYMPHONY  TO  DANTE'S  "DrvrNA  COMMEDIA" 

1.  INFERNO. 

2.  PURGATORIO.      MAGNIFICAT. 

Liszt's  symphony  to  the  "  Divina  Commedia  "  of  Dante 
is  in  two  parts,  "  Inferno  "  and  "  Purgatorio  ;  "  though  by 
the  introduction  of  the  Magnificat  after  the  Finale  to  the 
"  Purgatorio,"  the  composer  also  indicates  the  other  divi- 
sion of  the  poem,  the  "  Paradise."  The  Inferno  opens  at 
once  with  a  characteristic  phrase  for  the  bass  instruments 
with  a  crashing  accompaniment,  announcing  in  recitative 
the  inscription  over  the  door  of  hell :  "  Per  mi  si  va  nella 
citta  dolente"  ("Through  me  pass  on  to  horror's  dwelling- 
place  "),  whereupon  the  trombones  and  horns  sound  out 
the  well-known  warning,  "  Lasciate  ogni  speranza  "  ("  All 
ye  who  enter  here,  leave  hope  behind ").  After  the 
enunciation  of  the  curse  the  composer  paints  the  infernal 
scenes  with  all  the  fury  and  barbarity  of  which  apparently 
music  is  capable.  Unnatural  combinations,  chromatic 
phrases,  grating  dissonances,  strange,  wild  episodes,  furi- 
ous rushes,  and  weird  cries  picture  the  horror  and  suffer- 
ing of  the  damned  amid  which  the  curse  appears  with 
literally  "  damnable  iteration."  In  the  midst  of  all  this 
din,  however,  there  is  a  lull.  Amid  the  tinkling  of  harps 
and  graceful  figures  for  the  strings  and  flutes,  the  bass 
clarinet  intones  a  recitative  (the  "  Nessun  maggior  dolore," 
of  the  original),  and  the  English  horn  replies,  the  two 
instruments  joining  in  a  dialogue  which  tells  the  mournful 
fate  of  Paolo  and  Francesca  da  Rimini,  —  a  story  of  in- 
finite love  and  endless  despair  in  the  Inferno.  At  its 
close  the  curse  sounds  again,  and  once  more  the  hellish 


278     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

storm  breaks  out,  and  the  movement  comes  to  a  close 
amid  the  shrieks  and  blasphemies  of  the  damned  in  an 
Allegro  frenetico  which  is  graphic  enough  not  to  need 
words. 

The  second  movement,  "  Purgatorio,"  opens  with  a 
quiet,  restful  theme  in  choral  style,  its  soft  and  gentle 
melody  picturing  that  period  of  expectancy  which  is  the 
prelude  to  the  enjoyments  of  Paradise.  It  is  followed  by 
a  masterly  fugue  expressive  of  resignation  and  melancholy. 
Before  it  closes  the  first  theme  returns  again  and  peace- 
fully dies  away,  leading  to  the  Finale.  A  solo  followed  by 
a  chorus  chants  the  Magnificat  in  the  old  classic  style. 
All  the  resources  of  the  orchestra  are  employed  in  enhanc- 
ing the  effect  of  the  chant,  and  the  work  comes  to  a  close 
with  imposing  Hosannas.  For  this  Finale  Liszt  has  written 
two  endings,  —  the  one  dying  softly  away  like  music  heard 
from  a  distance,  the  other  full  of  ecstasy  and  ending  with 
a  mighty  Hallelujah. 


MACFARREN 

1813-1887 

SAINT  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST 

THE  oratorio  "  Saint  John  the  Baptist  "  was  first  pro- 
duced at  the  Bristol  Musical  Festival  in  1873.  The 
libretto  was  written  by  Dr.  E.  G.  Monk,  and  is  divided 
into  two  parts,  —  the  first  styled  "The  Desert,"  and  the 
second  "Machserus,"  to  correspond  with  the  localities 
where  the  action  is  supposed  to  take  place.  The  inci- 
dents described  are  John's  preaching  to  the  people,  the 
baptism  of  Christ,  and  the  events  which  begin  with  Herod's 
feast  and  close  with  the  execution  of  the  Prophet. 

The  overture,  which  is  dramatic  in  character,  is  followed 
by  a  powerful  fugued  chorus  ("  Behold  !  I  will  send  my 
messenger  "),  a  part  of  which  is  set  to  organ  accompani- 
ment. The  narrator,  a  contralto,  recites  the  coming  of 
the  Prophet,  in  the  orchestral  prelude  to  which  is  a  phrase 
borrowed  from  an  old  church  melody  which  Mendelssohn 
also  used  in  his  Reformation  Symphony,  and  which  serves 
throughout  the  work  as  the  motive  for  the  Prophet.  Saint 
John  is  introduced  in  a  rugged  and  massive  barytone  solo 
("  Repent  ye,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand  "),  ac- 
companied by  descriptive  instrumentation.  A  dramatic 
scene  ensues,  composed  of  inquiries  as  to  the  Prophet's 
mission  by  the  People,  a  short  chorus  by  the  latter 
("What  shall  we  do  then?")  which  is  very  melodic  in 
style,  and  the  resumption  of  the  dialogue  form,  set  to  a 
very  skilful  accompaniment.  This  scene  is  followed  by  a 
characteristic  aria  for  the  Prophet  ("  I  indeed  baptize  you 


28o     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

with  water").  The  story  is  once  more  taken  up  by  the 
narrator,  who  describes  the  baptism  of  Christ.  The  words, 
"This  is  My  Beloved  Son  "  are  given  to  a  female  choir, 
with  accompaniment  by  the  violins  and  harps.  A  song  for 
the  narrator  ("  In  the  beginning  was  the  word  ")  follows, 
and  leads  to  the  chorus,  which  closes  the  first  part,  the 
words  taken  from  the  first  verse  of  Psalm  civ,  and  the 
melody  borrowed  from  the  familiar  old  tune  "  Hanover." 
The  second  part  opens  in  Herod's  palace  with  the  re- 
buke of  the  Monarch  by  the  Prophet.  In  this  scene,  as 
well  as  in  others,  the  composer  draws  a  marked  contrast 
in  the  music  assigned  to  the  two,  the  one  being  strong  and 
stern,  the  other  sensuous,  in  style.  In  the  duet,  where 
Herod  confesses  the  error  of  his  ways,  the  voices  unite  in 
a  genuine  religious  strain.  The  narrator  is  once  more  in- 
troduced, and  describes  the  feast  given  by  the  Monarch  to 
the  Galilee  estates,  followed  by  a  jubilant  chorus  of  nobles 
("  O  King,  live  forever  !  "),  set  to  a  brilliant  accompani- 
ment, calling  for  the  most  ample  orchestral  resources.  The 
next  number  is  a  chorus  for  male  voices  ("  Lo !  the 
daughter  of  Herodias  cometh  in,  she  danceth  !  ")  set  to  a 
dance  rhythm  with  tambourines,  the  themes  being  bits  of 
Oriental  melodies  skilfully  treated.  We  then  have  the 
banquet  scene,  the  admiration  of  the  nobles  for  Salome's 
beauty,  Herod's  oath,  and  Salome's  joy  expressed  in  a 
showy  song  ("  I  rejoice  in  my  youth  ").  Then  follows  the 
dramatic  scene  of  Salome's  request,  —  a  concerted  number 
of  great  force.  Herod  sings  a  mournful  aria  ("  Alas  !  my 
daughter,  thou  hast  brought  us  very  low  ").  The  narra- 
tor explains  how  the  King  was  compelled  to  keep  his  word, 
and  is  followed  by  the  nobles  in  a  stirring  chorus  ("  Lo  ! 
the  wrath  of  the  King  is  as  a  messenger  of  death "). 
The  scene  now  changes  to  the  dungeon,  where  the  Prophet 
sings  his  farewell  song  ("  A  man  can  receive  nothing  "), 
accompanied  by  orchestra  and  organ.  The  final  tragedy 


SIR  GEORGE  ALEXANDER  MACFARREN 


MACFARREN  281 

is  told  by  the  narrator,  and  the  work  closes  with  two  re- 
flective numbers,  —  the  beautiful  unaccompanied  quartette 
("  Blessed  are  they  which  are  persecuted "),  and  the 
chorus  ("  What  went  ye  out  into  the  wilderness  for  to 
see?"). 

CHRISTMAS 

"  Christmas,"  the  poem  by  John  Oxenford,  was  written 
in  1859,  and  was  first  performed  at  one  of  the  concerts  of 
the  Musical  Society  of  Ix>ndon,  on  the  ninth  of  May,  1860. 
The  poem  itself  contains  no  story.  It  is  merely  a  tribute 
to  the  season  ;  but  at  the  same  time  it  is  not  destitute  of  in- 
cident, so  that  it  possesses  considerable  dramatic  interest. 

After  a  short  instrumental  introduction  the  cantata 
opens  with  a  double  chorus  in  antiphonal  style,  in  which 
both  the  bright  and  the  dark  sides  of  Winter  are  celebrated. 
The  second  choir  takes  up  the  theme  ("The  trees  lift  up 
their  branches  bare  "),  and  the  first  choir  replies  ( "  Old 
Winter's  hand  is  always  free  ").  The  two  then  join  and 
bring  their  friendly  contest  to  a  close.  This  double  num- 
ber is  followed  by  a  soprano  recitative  and  romance 
("  Welcome,  blest  season  "),  tender  and  yet  joyous  in  char- 
acter, which  celebrates  the  delight  of  friendly  reunions 
at  Christmas  tide,  and  the  pleasure  with  which  those  long 
absent  seek  "  the  old  familiar  door."  In  the  next  num- 
ber, with  an  old  English  carol  ("  A  blessing  on  this  noble 
house  and  all  who  in  it  dwell"),  Christmas  is  fairly  intro- 
duced. It  is  sung  first  in  unison  by  full  chorus,  then 
changes  to  harmony,  in  which  one  choir  retains  the  mel- 
ody, and  closes  with  a  new  subject  for  orchestral  treat- 
ment, the  united  choirs  singing  the  carol.  Christmas 
would  not  be  complete  without  its  story ;  and  this  we  have 
in  the  next  number  for  contralto  solo  and  chorus,  entitled 
"A  Christmas  tale."  It  is  preceded  by  recitative,  written 


282     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIBE 

in  the  old  English  style,  and  each  verse  closes  with  a 
refrain,  first  sung  as  a  solo,  and  then  repeated  in  full 
harmony  by  the  chorus  ("A  bleak  and  kindless  morning 
had  broke  on  Althenay ").  A  graceful  little  duet  for 
female  voices  ("  Little  children,  all  rejoice  "),  picturing 
the  delights  of  childhood  and  its  exemption  from  care,  fol- 
lows the  Saxon  story  and  leads  up  to  the  Finale,  which  is 
choral  throughout,  and  gives  all  the  pleasant  details  of 
Christmas  cheer,  —  the  feast  in  the  vaulted  hall,  the  baron 
of  beef,  the  boar  with  the  lemon  in  his  jaw,  the  pudding, 
"  gem  of  all  the  feast,"  the  generous  wassail,  and  the  mis- 
tletoe bough  with  its  warning  to  maids.  In  delightfully 
picturesque  old  English  music  the  joyous  scene  comes  to 
an  end. 


MACKENZIE 

1847- 

THE  STORY  OF  SAYID 

"  '  |  VHE  Story  of  Sayid,"  a  dramatic  cantata  in  two 
A  parts,  the  libretto  by  Joseph  Bennett,  was  first 
produced  at  the  Leeds  Triennial  Festival,  October  13, 
1886.  Its  story  is  founded  upon  that  of  a  poem  in 
Edwin  Arnold's  "  Pearls  of  the  Faith,"  and  embodies  a 
myth  which  is  current  among  nearly  all  Oriental  nations. 
The  characters  are  Ilmas,  daughter  of  Sawa,  soprano; 
Sayid,  an  Arab  chief,  tenor;  Sawa,  a  Hindoo  prince, 
barytone ;  a  watchman,  tenor  or  barytone ;  and  a  horse- 
man, barytone.  The  opening  scene  pictures  the  deso- 
lation of  the  land  of  S&wa,  caused  by  the  invasion  of  an 
Arab  band,  led  by  their  chieftain,  Sayid.  In  the  midst 
of  the  popular  lamentations  a  messenger  announces  the 
defeat  of  the  Arabs  and  the  capture  of  their  leader,  who 
is  brought  to  the  city  and  sentenced  to  death  on  the  spot. 
As  Sayid  prepares  to  meet  his  fate,  he  is  recognized  by 
Sawa  as  his  rescuer  at  a  time  when  he  was  hunting  in  the 
hills  and  perishing  with  thirst.  He  offers  him  any  boon 
he  may  ask  except  that  of  life.  Sayid  entreats  that  he  may 
be  allowed  to  visit  his  aged  father,  promising  to  return  after- 
wards and  suffer  his  fate.  When  Sawa  asks  who  will  be 
hostage  for  him,  his  own  daughter,  Ilmas,  offers  herself. 
Moved  to  pity  for  the  Arab,  she  persists  in  her  offer,  and 
her  father  at  last  reluctantly  consents.  The  second  scene 
opens  in  Ilmas's  palace,  and  we  discover  that  pity  has 
grown  into  passion  for  Sayid  during  his  absence.  She  is 
interrupted  in  her  meditations  by  Sawa,  who  enters  with 


284     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

his  counsellors  and  announces  that  lightnings  have  flashed 
from  the  altars  of  Siva,  and  that  the  gods  have  demanded 
that  the  hostage  must  suffer  in  the  absence  of  Sayid. 
Ilmas  bids  her  attendants  array  her  in  bridal  robes,  and  in 
the  next  scene  appears  in  an  open  space  near  the  city  gate, 
surrounded  by  the  court  retinue  and  soldiers,  and  accom- 
panied by  her  maidens,  strewing  flowers  in  her  path. 
Ilmas  is  led  to  the  centre  of  the  space  and  kneels  down, 
the  executioner  standing  over  her  and  awaiting  the  signal 
to  be  given  by  the  watchman  when  the  sun  sets.  Before 
that  time  comes  the  latter  excitedly  announces  the  rapid 
approach  of  an  Arab  horseman.  While  the  crowd  stand 
eagerly  waiting  his  arrival,  Sayid  gallops  through  the  gate- 
way and  presents  himself  to  the  Prince.  He  then  turns 
to  Ilmas,  who  warmly  receives  him,  and  affirms  that  what- 
ever fate  may  overtake  him  she  shall  always  cherish  his 
memory.  Sa~wa  relents,  bids  the  Arab  live  and  be  his 
friend,  and  we  infer  the  happiness  of  the  lovers  from  the 
invocation  of  "  Love  the  Conqueror,"  which  brings  the 
Damon  and  Pythias  story  to  a  close. 

A  very  brief  orchestral  prelude  introduces  the  opening 
chorus  with  solos  ("Alas!  our  land  is  desolate").  As 
the  expressive  chorus  comes  to  a  close,  an  allegro  move- 
ment leads  to  a  dialogue  between  the  people  and  the 
watchman,  and  subsequently  with  the  horseman,  who  an- 
nounces the  approach  of  the  victorious  army,  followed  by 
a  second  chorus  of  the  people  invoking  Siva  ("  Vishnu, 
Vishnu,  thou  hast  heard  our  cry  !  ").  The  next  number 
is  a  triumphal  march,  remarkable  for  its  local  color,  and 
gradually  increasing  in  power  and  effect  as  the  army  ap- 
proaches the  city.  It  is  followed  by  an  excited  dialogue 
between  Sawa  and  Sayid,  with  choral  responses,  and  leads 
up  to  a  beautiful  melody  for  Sayid  ("  Where  sets  the  sun 
adown  the  crimson  west  ").  Another  dramatic  scene  fol- 
lows, in  which  Sawa  consents  to  Sayid's  return  to  his  father, 


MACKENZIE  285 

and  accepts  Ilmas  as  his  bondswoman,  which  leads  to  a 
spirited  and  elaborate  melody  for  the  latter  ("  First  of  his 
prophet's  warriors  he  ").  The  first  part  closes  with  the 
departure  of  Sayid  and  a  repetition  of  the  choral  invoca- 
tion of  Siva. 

The  second  part  opens  in  an  apartment  of  Sawa's 
palace,  and  discloses  Ilmas  sitting  with  her  maidens  as  a 
thunder-storm  dies  away  in  the  distance.  The  latter  join 
in  a  graceful  chorus,  which  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
numbers  in  the  cantata  ("  Sweet  the  balmy  days  of 
Spring").  Ilmas  answers  them  in  a  broad  and  exultant 
strain  ("  Ay,  sweet  indeed  is  love  ").  As  the  song  ends, 
Sawa  and  attendants  enter,  and  the  scene  closes  with  a 
dramatic  chorus  and  solos  accompanying  the  prepara- 
tions for  death.  The  second  scene  opens  with  a  solemn 
march  for  orchestra,  preparing  the  way  for  the  climax,  and 
leading  up  to  a  chorus  and  solo  for  Ilmas  ("  What  have 
these  sounds  to  do  with  bridal  robes?").  As  she  kneels, 
awaiting  her  fate,  an  orchestral  interlude,  set  to  the  rhythm 
of  the  gallop,  indicates  the  rapid  approach  of  Sayid.  A 
short  and  agitated  dialogue  follows  between  the  watchman 
and  the  people.  Sayid  declares  his  presence,  and  a  grace- 
ful duet  with  Ilmas  ensues  ("  Noble  maiden,  low  before 
thee  Sayid  bows  "),  leading  to  a  powerful  choral  Finale 
("Never  before  was  known  a  deed  like  this"),  closing 
with  a  stirring  outburst  for  all  the  voices  ("  O  Love,  thy 
car  triumphal "). 

THE  ROSE  OF  SHARON 

"  The  Rose  of  Sharon,"  a  dramatic  oratorio  founded  on 
the  Song  of  Solomon,  the  words  selected  from  the  Scrip- 
tures and  arranged  by  Joseph  Bennett,  was  first  brought 
out  at  the  Norwich  Festival,  England,  October  16,  1884, 
under  the  direction  of  the  composer.  The  characters  are 


286     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

the  Rose  of  Sharon,  designated  throughout  the  work  as 
the  Sulamite,  soprano ;  a  woman,  contralto ;  the  Be- 
loved, tenor ;  and  Solomon,  barytone ;  the  chorus  rep- 
resenting officers  of  the  court,  princes,  nobles,  villagers, 
elders,  and  soldiers.  The  story,  briefly  told,  is  one  of 
the  power  of  love.  The  Beloved  and  Solomon  are  both 
in  love  with  the  Sulamite,  and  the  King  tears  her  from  the 
former  to  be  the  favorite  among  the  women  of  the  harem. 
Amid  all  the  splendors  of  the  palace  and  the  luxuries 
heaped  upon  her  by  her  passionate  admirer  she  remains 
true  to  the  Beloved,  is  ultimately  restored  to  him,  and 
returns  to  the  vineyards  of  Sulam.  The  work  is  divided 
as  follows :  Prologue ;  Part  I,  Separation ;  II,  Tempta- 
tion ;  III,  Victory ;  IV,  Reunion ;  V,  Epilogue.  The 
motto  of  the  oratorio  is  "  Love  is  strong  as  death,  and 
unconquerable  as  the  grave."  This  motto  has  its  musical 
theme  as  well  as  each  of  the  three  principal  characters, 
and  they  are  invariably  used  with  great  skill  and  effect. 
The  woman  acts  the  part  of  narrator,  and  after  a  brief 
orchestral  prelude  she  is  heard  declaring  the  meaning 
and  spiritual  significance  of  the  story. 

The  oratorio  opens  in  the  vineyard  of  Sulam  as  the 
vine-dressers  come  forth  to  their  labor.  The  orchestral 
part  begins  with  the  melody  of  the  Vineyard  Song  ("  We 
will  take  the  foxes "),  and  serves  to  introduce  their 
chorus,  a  joyous  pastoral  ("  Come,  let  us  go  forth  into  the 
field").  As  they  disappear,  the  voice  of  the  Beloved  is 
heard  singing  a  tender  and  passionate  appeal  beneath  the 
Sulamite's  lattice  ("  Rise  up,  rise  up,  my  Love ")  as  he 
urges  her  to  join  him.  Her  reply  follows  from  within  her 
chamber,  full  of  love  and  adoration,  and  closing  with  the 
Vineyard  Song  ("  We  will  take  the  foxes,  the  little  foxes 
that  ravage  the  vines  ").  She  descends  from  her  cham- 
ber and  joins  the  Beloved,  and  their  voices  unite  in  a 
delightful  duet  ("Come,  Beloved,  into  the  garden  of 


SIR  ALEXANDER  MACKENZIE 


MACKENZIE  287 

nuts  ").  Once  more  the  chorus  of  the  vine-dressers  is 
heard  and  at  its  close,  after  an  intermezzo  descriptive  of 
the  joys  of  a  spring  morning,  the  scene  changes  to 
Lebanon.  A  short  alto  solo  announces  the  coming  of 
Solomon,  and  the  pastoral  music  is  followed  by  a  brilliant 
and  stately  processional  march,  accompanied  by  chorus 
("God  save  the  King  !  ").  Solomon  beholds  the  Sulamite, 
and  pours  forth  his  admiration  in  a  rapturous  song  ("  Thou 
art  lovely,  O  my  friend,  as  Thirza  ").  The  princes  and 
nobles  also  testify  to  their  admiration  of  her  beauty. 
A  dramatic  scene  ensues,  in  which  the  Beloved  and  the 
Sulamite  seek  to  escape  "  out  of  the  caves  of  the  lion  and 
from  the  haunt  of  the  leopard."  She  is  brought  back  by 
an  elder,  and  again  Solomon  pleads  his  cause  in  a  pas- 
sionate declamation.  She  replies,  "  My  Beloved  is  to 
me  a  nosegay  of  myrrh,"  and  clings  to  her  lover,  who 
once  more  seeks  to  escape  with  her;  whereupon  she  is 
seized  and  placed  in  one  of  the  King's  chariots,  and  the 
cavalcade  moves  off  to  the  brilliant  strains  of  the  cortege 
music,  accompanied  by  the  chorus. 

The  second  part,  "  Temptation,"  introduces  us  to  Solo- 
mon's palace,  where  the  Sulamite  is  alone,  pining  for  her 
lover.  The  scene  opens  with  the  psalm,  "The  Lord  is 
my  shepherd,"  set  to  a  simple,  charming  melody,  full 
of  the  spirit  of  devotion,  but  entirely  disconnected  with 
the  general  texture  of  the  work.  As  the  touching  strain 
comes  to  an  end,  the  women  of  the  court  enter,  insidi- 
ously plead  the  cause  of  Solomon,  tempt  her  with  his 
luxuries,  and  seek  to  shame  her  love  for  the  Beloved,  but 
the  Sulamite  remains  loyal,  and  only  answers :  "  My  Be- 
loved pastures  his  flocks  among  the  lilies.  My  Beloved  is 
mine,  and  I  am  his."  The  temptation  is  interrupted  by 
the  procession  of  the  ark  passing  in  the  street  below  to 
the  glad  acclaim  of  the  people  ("  Make  a  joyful  noise 
unto  the  Lord,  all  ye  lands "),  and  a  brilliant  march. 


288     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

Successively  the  maidens  of  Jerusalem  with  timbrels,  the 
elders,  the  shepherds  and  vine-dressers,  the  soldiers,  the 
priests  bearing  the  sacred  vessels  pass  by,  singing  tributes 
of  praise  to  the  Lord  ;  and  as  the  Levites  appear  bearing 
the  ark,  and  Solomon  comes  in  sight  with  all  his  retinue, 
the  entire  chorus  triumphantly  repeat  ("  God  save  the 
King ! ").  The  brilliant  procession  passes  from  view. 
The  women  once  more  appeal  to  the  Sulamite ;  but  she 
still  loyally  declares,  "My  Beloved  pastures  his  flocks 
among  the  lilies ;  lo  !  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  is  not 
arrayed  like  one  of  these." 

The  third  part,  "Victory,"  opens  with  an  orchestral 
prelude  picturing  the  sleep  of  the  Sulamite,  with  her 
women  watching  about  her.  The  voice  of  the  Beloved 
is  heard  without  the  chamber  ("  Open  to  me,  my  sister, 
my  bride  ").  It  reaches  her  in  a  dream,  and  in  fancy  she 
replies  to  him,  clothes  herself,  and  searches  for  him  in  the 
streets ;  but  when  she  accosts  the  watchmen,  they  are  so 
rude  that  her  fright  awakes  her.  She  is  still  a  prisoner 
in  the  palace,  and  the  women  about  her  announce  the 
coming  of  Solomon.  He  pleads  his  cause  in  a  passionate 
song  ("Ere  the  day  cool  and  the  shadows  flee  away"); 
and  she  replies  with  another  protestation  of  her  constancy 
in  the  solo  ("  Lo  !  a  vineyard  hath  Solomon  at  Baal- 
hamon  ").  The  situation,  which  is  dramatic  in  its  treat- 
ment, is  heightened  by  a  duet  and  by  the  mocking  chorus 
of  women  ;  but  above  them  all  still  sings  the  brave  Sula- 
mite ("  My  Beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his  "). 

The  fourth  part  brings  us  back  again  to  the  vineyards 
of  Sulam.  It  opens  with  a  melancholy  chorus  of  the 
vine-dressers  ("  O  Lord,  be  gracious  unto  us  "),  lament- 
ing her  absence,  followed  by  a  bass  solo  ("Thus  saith 
the  Lord  ")  and  a  chorale  in  full  broad  harmony.  At  last 
the  victorious  Sulamite  is  seen  coming  up  from  the  valley 
leaning  on  the  arm  of  the  Beloved.  All  join  in  a  powerful 


MACKENZIE  289 

and  exultant  chorus  of  gratitude  and  joy  ("Sing,  O 
heavens,  and  be  joyful,  O  earth ").  A  rapturous  duet- 
ensues  between  the  Sulamite  and  the  Beloved,  and  then 
all  join  in  the  spirited  Finale  ("  For  the  flame  of  love  is 
as  fire  "). 

BETHLEHEM 

"  Bethlehem,"  a  mystery,  the  text  by  Joseph  Bennett, 
was  first  produced  by  the  Royal  Choral  Society  of  Lon- 
don in  1894.  It  is  in  two  parts,  the  first  dealing  with  the 
appearance  of  the  angel  to  the  shepherds,  and  the  second 
with  the  homage  paid  by  the  shepherds  and  the  eastern 
kings  to  the  infant  Saviour.  After  a  tranquil  orchestral 
introduction,  significant  of  the  angelical  appearance  to 
follow,  the  work  opens  with  a  tenor  solo  of  descriptive 
character  ("Darkness  o'er  the  earth  is  brooding")  an- 
nouncing the  coming  of  the  angel  and  the  terrors  of  the 
shepherds  at  the  heavenly  apparition.  This  is  followed 
by  a  male  chorus  ("  O  brothers,  quick,  arise  !  ")  telling  the 
story  of  the  appearance.  In  a  graceful,  smoothly  flowing 
melody  for  soprano  ("  Be  not  afraid  ")  the  angel  com- 
forts the  shepherds  and  tells  them  the  good  news.  There- 
upon in  broad,  massive  harmony  ("  O  wondrous  light") 
the  shepherds  describe  the  appearance  of  the  heavenly 
host.  The  angel's  Gloria  ("  Glory  to  God  "),  a  chorus  for 
two  sopranos  and  alto  with  soprano  and  tenor  solos, 
follows,  and  then  in  brilliant  chorus  the  shepherds  de- 
scribe the  return  of  the  angel  to  heaven.  They  talk  to- 
gether of  the  wondrous  sight,  the  recitative  closing  with 
the  chorale  ("  The  word  that  now  we  see  fulfilled  ").  A 
chorus  ("  Uplift  a  song  of  praise  ")  with  soprano  and  tenor 
solos  closes  the  first  part  in  a  powerful  climax. 

The  second  part  opens  with  the  chorus  ("Upon  the 
quiet  of  the  night ")  introduced  by  the  orchestra  in  march 

19 


290     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

tempo  with  reminiscences  of  the  shepherds'  chorale.  This 
is  followed  by  a  tender  and  beautiful  cradle-song  ("  Sleep, 
sweet  Babe,  my  cares  beguiling  ").  An  extended  scene 
describing  the  search  of  the  shepherds  and  people  for  the 
Babe  ensues,  the  most  striking  features  of  which  are  the 
song  of  the  first  shepherd  ("  Lo  !  now,  think  ye  we  lay 
dreaming?")  and  that  of  a  woman  ("A  woman  out  of 
Galilee").  The  voice  of  the  mother  is  once  more  heard 
in  a  reminiscence  of  the  cradle-song  ("  Darkness,  hill  and 
plain  forsaking").  After  an  impressive  song  by  the  angel 
("  Good  news  to  you  ")  the  mother  sings  an  exultant  strain 
("  Lord  God  of  Israel  ").  In  the  next  section  an  impres- 
sive theme  ("  O  holy  Babe")  given  out  by  the  mother  is 
taken  by  full  chorus,  and  then  the  three  kings  enter  to  the 
accompaniment  of  an  Eastern  march.  The  entire  latter 
part  of  the  section  indeed  is  eastern  in  color,  and  the 
instrumentation  very  brilliant.  The  work  closes  with  a 
triumphant  quartette  and  chorus  ("  Lo  !  this  is  He  of 
whom  the  prophets  spake  "). 


M 


MASSENET 

1842- 

MARY  MAGDALEN 

ARY  MAGDALEN  "  was  written  in  1873,  and 
was  first  performed  at  the  Od£on,  Paris,  in  that 
year,  with  Mmes.  Viardot  and  Vidal  and  MM.  Bosquin 
and  Petit  in  the  solo  parts.  It  is  styled  by  its  composer  a 
sacred  drama,  and  is  divided  into  three  acts,  the  first  en- 
titled "  The  Magdalen  at  the  Fountain ;  "  the  second, 
"Jesus  before  the  Magdalen;"  the  third,  "Golgotha," 
"  The  Magdalen  at  the  Cross,"  and  "  The  Tomb  of  Jesus 
and  the  Resurrection ;  "  the  first  two  scenes  in  the  last 
act  being  included  in  one  tableau,  and  the  third  in  an- 
other. The  characters  represented  are  Mary  Magdalen, 
Martha,  Jesus,  and  Judas,  the  chorus  parts  being  assigned 
to  the  Disciples,  Pharisees,  Scribes,  Publicans,  soldiers, 
servants,  holy  women,  and  people. 

After  a  short  introduction,  pastoral  in  character,  the 
work  begins  with  a  scene  representing  Mary  at  the  foun- 
tain of  Magdala  near  sunset,  among  women,  Publicans, 
Scribes,  and  Pharisees,  strolling  along  the  banks  of  the 
little  stream  that  flows  from  it.  The  women  sing  a  short 
chorus  full  of  Oriental  color  anticipating  the  approach  of 
the  beautiful  Nazarene.  A  group  of  young  Magdalens 
pass  along  singing  blithely  of  love  and  gay  cavaliers 
("  C'est  1'heure  ou  conduisant  de  longues  caravanes  "),  and 
the  song  of  the  women  blends  with  it.  Next  follows  a  chorus 
of  the  Scribes,  discussing  this  Stranger,  and  pronouncing 
Him  an  impostor,  and  again  the  young  Magdalens  take 


292     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

up  their  strain.  The  second  number  is  a  pathetic  aria  by 
Mary  ("  O  mes  sceurs  !  "),  which  is  full  of  tender  beauty. 
The  women  shrink  back  from  her  and  join  in  a  taunting 
chorus  ("  La  belle  pecheresse  oublie  ").  Next,  Judas  ap- 
pears upon  the  scene,  and  servilely  saluting  Mary  coun- 
sels her  to  abandon  sadness  and  return  to  love,  in  an  aria 
which  is  a  good  illustration  of  irony  in  music.  It  is  fol- 
lowed by  a  powerful  and  mocking  chorus  of  women,  Phar- 
isees, and  Scribes  ("  Vainement  tu  pleures"),  in  which 
Mary  is  taunted  with  her  shame,  despite  her  sad  appeals 
for  pity.  The  next  scene  is  an  aria  and  trio.  Jesus  ap- 
pears in  their  midst,  and  in  a  calm,  impressive  aria  ("  Vous 
qui  fle'trissez  les  erreurs  des  autres  ")  rebukes  them.  Mary 
prostrates  herself  at  His  feet  and  implores  pardon,  and 
the  scene  closes  with  a  trio  for  Jesus,  Mary,  and  Judas, 
leading  up  to  a  strong  concerted  Finale  closing  the  act,  in 
which  Jesus  bids  the  Magdalen  rise  and  return .  to  her 
home,  whither  He  is  about  to  repair. 

The  second  act  opens  in  the  Magdalen's  house,  which 
is  richly  decorated  with  flowers  and  redolent  with  per- 
fume. It  begins  with  a  sensuous  female  chorus  ("  Le 
seuil  est  par6  de  fleurs  rares")  followed  by  Martha's 
admonition  to  the  servants  that  He  who  is  more  powerful 
than  earthly  kings  cares  not  for  vain  shows.  The  chorus 
resumes  its  song,  and  at  its  close  Judas  appears  and  a  long 
dialogue  follows  in  which  Martha  rebukes  his  hypocrisy. 
As  he  departs,  Mary  and  Martha  in  a  very  graceful  duet 
discourse  of  the  Saviour's  coming,  which  is  interrupted  by 
His  presence  and  invocation  of  blessing.  After  a  duet 
between  Jesus  and  Mary,  in  which  He  commends  her  to 
the  Good  Shepherd,  the  act  closes  with  a  powerful  and 
dramatic  Finale  containing  Jesus'  rebuke  to  Judas  and  His 
declaration  of  the  coming  betrayal,  after  which  the  disci- 
ples join  in  a  simple  but  effective  prayer  ("  Notre  Pere, 
Iou6  soit  nom  radieux  "). 


[\ 
i 


JULES  MASSENET 


MASSENET  293 

The  third  act  is  divided  into  two  tableaux.  In  the  first 
we  have  the  scene  of  the  crucifixion,  the  agitated  choruses 
of  the  groups  about  the  Cross,  the  mocking  strains  of  the 
Pharisees  bidding  Him  descend  if  He  is  the  Master,  the 
sorrowing  song  of  Mary  ("  O  bien-aimd  sous  la  sombre 
couronne"),  and  the  final  tragedy.  The  second  is  de- 
voted to  the  resurrection  and  apparition,  which  are  treated 
very  dramatically,  closing  with  an  exultant  Easter  hymn 
("  Christ  est  vivant,  ressuscite"). 


MENDELSSOHN 

1809-1847 

THE  WALPURGIS  NIGHT 

IT  was  during  his  travels  in  Italy  in  1831  that  Men- 
delssohn composed  the  music  to  Goethe's  poem,  "  The 
First  Walpurgis  Night."  The  cantata  was  first  publicly 
performed  in  Leipsic,  February  2,  1843.  The  subject  is 
a  very  simple  one.  The  witches  of  the  Northern  mythol- 
ogy were  supposed  to  hold  their  revels  on  the  summit  of 
the  Brocken  on  the  eve  of  the  first  of  May  (Walpurgis 
Night),  and  the  details  of  their  wild  and  infernal  "Sab- 
bath "  are  familiar  to  every  reader  of  "  Faust."  In  his 
separate  poem  Goethe  seeks  to  go  back  to  the  origin  of 
the  first  Walpurgis  Night.  May-day  eve  was  consecrated 
to  Saint  Walpurgis,  who  converted  the  Saxons  from  Dru- 
idism  to  Christianity,  and  on  that  night  the  evil  spirits 
were  said  to  be  abroad.  Goethe  conceived  the  idea  that 
the  Druids  on  that  night  betook  themselves  to  the  moun- 
tains to  celebrate  their  rites  without  interference  from  the 
Christians,  accomplishing  their  purpose  by  disguising  their 
sentinels  as  demons,  who,  when  the  Christians  approached, 
ran  through  the  woods  with  torches,  clashed  their  arms, 
uttered  hideous  noises,  and  thus  frightened  them  away, 
leaving  the  Druids  free  to  finish  their  sacrifices. 

The  cantata  begins  with  an  overture  in  two  movements, 
an  Allegro  con  fuoco  and  an  Allegro  vivace,  which  describes 
in  vivid  tone-colors  the  passing  of  the  season  from  Winter 
to  Spring.  The  first  number  is  a  tenor  solo  and  chorus  of 


MENDELSSOHN  295 

Druids,  which  are  full  of  spring  feeling,  rising  to  religious 
fervor  in  the  close.  The  next  number  is  an  alto  solo,  the 
warning  of  an  aged  woman  of  the  people,  which  is  very  dra- 
matic in  its  style  ("  Know  ye  not  a  deed  so  daring  ").  The 
warning  is  followed  by  a  stately  exhortation  from  the  Druid 
priest  ("The  man  who  flies  our  sacrifice  "),  leading  up  to 
a  short  chorus  of  a  stirring  character  in  which  the  Druids 
resolve  to  go  on  with  their  rites.  It  is  followed  by  a 
pianissimo  chorus  of  the  guards  whispering  to  each  other 
to  "secure  the  passes  round  the  glen."  One  of  them 
suggests  the  demon  scheme  for  frightening  the  enemy, 
which  leads  to  the  chorus,  ("  Come  with  torches  brightly 
flashing").  In  this  chorus  the  composer  has  given  the 
freest  rein  to  his  fancy,  and  presents  the  weird  scene  in  a 
grotesque  chaos  of  musical  effects,  both  vocal  and  instru- 
mental, which  may  fairly  be  called  infernal,  although  it 
preserves  form  and  rhythm  throughout.  It  is  followed  by 
an  exalted  and  impressive  hymn  for  bass  solo  and  chorus, 
which  is  a  relief  after  the  diablerie  of  the  preceding  num- 
ber ("Restrained  by  might  ").  Following  this  impressive 
hymn  comes  the  terrified  warning  of  the  Christian  guard 
(tenor),  and  the  response  of  his  equally  terrified  comrades 
("Help,  my  comrades!  see  a  legion").  As  the  Chris- 
tians disappear,  scared  by  the  demon  ruse,  the  Druids 
once  more,  led  by  their  priest,  resume  their  rites,  closing 
with  another  choral  hymn  of  praise  similar  in  style  to 
the  first. 

ANTIGONE 

Mendelssohn  wrote  incidental  music  to  four  great  dramas, 
—  the  "Antigone"  of  Sophocles,  1841;  the  "  CEdipus 
at  Colonos"  of  Sophocles,  1843;  the  "Athalia"  of 
Racine,  1843;  and  the  "Midsummer  Night's  Dream" 
of  Shakspcare,  1843,  the  overture  to  which  was  written 


296     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

by  him  in  1826.  Of  the  first  three  the  music  to  "Anti- 
gone "  and  "  CEdipus  "  is  most  frequently  performed,  and 
for  that  reason  has  been  selected  for  description. 

In  June,  1841,  the  King  of  Saxony  invited  Men- 
delssohn to  become  his  Capellmeister.  Frederick  William 
IV  of  Prussia  had  made  him  a  similar  offer  about  the 
same  time.  He  accepted  the  latter  and  removed  to 
Berlin,  and  the  first  duty  imposed  upon  him  by  the  King 
was  the  composition  of  music  to  the  "  Antigone "  of 
Sophocles.  With  the  assistance  of  the  poet  Tieck,  who 
helped  arrange  the  text,  the  work  was  accomplished  in 
the  short  space  of  eleven  days,  and  was  given  on  the 
Potsdam  Court  stage,  October  28,  to  a  private  audience. 
It  was  first  performed  in  public  at  Leipsic,  March  5, 1842. 
It  is  written  for  male  chorus  and  orchestra,  and  includes 
seven  numbers;  namely,  i.  Introduction  and  maestoso 
("  Strahl  des  Helios  schonstes  Licht");  .  Andante  con 
moto  ("Vieles  Gewaltige  lebt  ")  ;  3.  Moderate  ("  Ihr 
Seligen  deren  ")  ;  4.  Adagio  ("  O  Eros,  Allsieger  im 
Kampf ")  ;  5.  Recitative  and  chorus  ("  Noch  toset  des 
Sturmes  Gewalt  ")  ;  6.  Allegro  maestoso  ("  Vielnamiger  ! 
Wonn'  und  Stolz ")  ;  7.  Andante  alia  marcia  ("  Hier 
kommt  er  ja  selbst"). 

A  condensation  of  Lampadius'  account  of  the  first  pub- 
lic performance  of  "  Antigone  "  will  suffice  in  place  of  a 
detailed  analysis.  Mendelssohn's  biographer  says  :  — 

"  The  music  was  extremely  simple,  and,  according  to  our 
ideas,  meagre;  but  it  was  antique  completely,  in  its  being  filled 
with  the  fire  of  the  tragedy  and  making  its  spirit  intelligible  to 
us  moderns,  strengthening  the  meaning  of  the  words,  and  giv- 
ing a  running  musical  commentary  on  them.  .  .  .  The  Eros 
chorus,  with  its  solemn  awe  in  the  presence  of  the  divine  om- 
nipotence of  love,  and  the  Bacchus  chorus,  which,  swinging 
the  thyrsus,  celebrates  the  praise  of  the  Theban  maiden's  son 
in  joyous  strains,  as  well  as  the  melodramatic  passages,  where 


MENDELSSOHN  297 

Antigone  enters,  wailing,  the  chamber  where  her  dead  lover 
lay,  and  whither  Creon  has  borne  in  his  son's  corpse,  had  an 
imposing  effect. 

Devrient,  director  of  the  opera  at  Carlsruhe  at  that 
time,  in  his  "  Recollections  of  Mendelssohn  "  also  says  :  — 

"The  choruses  not  only  gave  the  key  to  every  scene,  the 
expression  to  each  separate  verse,  from  the  narrow  compla- 
cency of  the  Theban  citizens  to  their  heartful  and  exalted 
sympathy,  but  also  a  dramatic  accent  soaring  far  beyond  the 
words  of  the  poet.  I  allude  particularly  to  the  dithyrambus 
that  occurs  between  Creon's  attempt  to  rescue  Antigone  and 
the  relation  of  its  terrible  failure.  To  raise  this  chorus  to  be 
the  terrible  turning-point  of  the  action ;  to  bring  here  to  its 
culmination  the  tension  excited  by  the  awful  impending  doom  ; 
to  give  this  continually  gathering  power  to  the  invocation, 
'Hear  us,  Bacchus!'  till  it  becomes  a  cry  of  agony;  to  give 
this  exhaustive  musical  expression  to  the  situation,  marks  the 
composer  to  have  a  specially  dramatic  gift.  And  this  is  be- 
tokened no  less  in  the  melodramatic  portions." 


OEDIPUS   AT   COLONOS 

The  portions  of  Sophocles'  tragedy,  "  CEdipus  at  Col- 
onos,"  to  which  Mendelssohn  set  music  are  the  banish- 
ment of  the  blind  hero,  the  loving  care  of  his  daughters, 
his  arrival  at  Attica,  and  his  death  in  the  gardens  of  the 
Eumenides  at  Colonos,  absolved  by  the  fate  which  had  so 
cruelly  pursued  him. 

The  music  to  "  CEdipus  "  was  written  at  the  command 
of  the  King  of  Prussia  in  1843,  and  was  first  produced  at 
Potsdam,  November  i,  1845.  It  contains  a  short  intro- 
duction and  nine  choral  numbers.  The  first  and  second 
choruses  describe  the  entrance  of  CEdipus  and  Antigone 
into  the  grove  of  the  Eumenides,  their  discovery  by  the 
people,  the  story  of  his  sorrows  which  he  relates  to  them, 
his  meeting  with  his  daughter  Ismene,  and  the  arrival  of 


298     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

Theseus  the  King.  The  third  number,  double  chorus,  is 
the  gem  of  the  work,  and  is  often  given  on  the  concert- 
stage.  The  first  strophe  is  begun  by  one  choir  in  unison 
after  a  short  but  graceful  introduction  which  is  repeated  at 
the  end  of  the  strophe  in  another  form,  and  then  the 
second  choir  begins  the  antistrophe,  set  to  the  same  beau- 
tiful melody.  At  its  close  the  music  changes  in  character 
and  grows  vigorous  and  excited  as  the  first  choir  sings  the 
second  strophe,  with  which  shortly  the  second  choir  joins 
in  splendid  eight-part  harmony.  The  latter  takes  up  the 
strain  again  in  the  second  antistrophe,  singing  the  praise 
of  "  the  mother  city,"  and  the  number  closes  with  the 
united  invocation  to  Neptune,  —  an  effect  which  has  hardly 
been  excelled  in  choral  music.  The  fourth  chorus,  which 
is  dramatic  in  its  effect,  tells  of  the  assault  of  Creon  upon 
CEdipus,  and  the  fifth,  his  protection  by  Theseus,  who 
comes  to  the  rescue.  In  this  number  the  double  choirs 
unite  with  magnificent  effect  in  the  appeal  to  the  gods 
("Dread  power,  that  fillest  heaven's  high  throne")  to 
defend  Theseus  in  the  conflict.  The  sixth  number 
("  When  the  health  and  strength  are  gone ")  is  a 
pathetic  description  of  the  blind  hero's  pitiful  condition, 
and  prepares  the  way  for  the  powerful  choruses  in  which 
his  impending  fate  is  foreshadowed  by  the  thunderbolts  of 
Jove  which  rend  the  heavens.  The  eighth  and  ninth 
choruses  are  full  of  the  mournful  spirit  of  the  tragedy  it- 
self, and  tell  in  notes  as  eloquent  as  Sophocles'  lines  of 
the  mysterious  disappearance  of  the  Theban  hero,  ingulfed 
in  the  opening  earth,  and  the  sorrowful  lamentations  of  the 
daughters  for  the  father  whom  they  had  served  and  loved 
so  devotedly. 


MENDELSSOHN  299 


As  THE  HART  PANTS 

The  music  to  the  Forty-second  Psalm,  familiarly  known 
by  the  caption  which  forms  the  title  of  this  sketch,  was 
first  performed  at  the  tenth  subscription  Gewandhaus  con- 
cert in  Leipsic  in  1838,  Clara  Novello  taking  the  soprano 
part.  Though  not  constructed  upon  the  large  scale  of  the 
"  Hymn  of  Praise,"  or  even  of  the  "  Walpurgis  Night,"  it 
is  a  work  which  is  thoroughly  artistic,  and  just  as  com- 
plete and  symmetrical  in  its  way.  It  contains  seven 
numbers.  After  a  slow  and  well-sustained  introduction, 
the  work  begins  with  a  chorus  ("  As  the  hart  pants  after 
the  water-brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul  for  Thee,  O  God  ") 
which  is  a  veritable  prayer  in  its  tenderness  and  expres- 
sion of  passionate  longing.  After  the  chorus  a  delicate 
and  refined  soprano  solo  ("  For  my  soul  thirsteth  for 
God  ")  continues  the  sentiment,  first  given  out  in  an  oboe 
solo,  and  then  uttered  by  the  voice  in  a  beautifully  melo- 
dious adagio.  The  third  number  is  a  soprano  recitative 
("My  tears  have  been  my  meat")  leading  to  a  chorus  in 
march  time  by  the  sopranos  and  altos  ("  For  I  had  gone 
with  the  multitude ;  I  went  with  them  to  the  house  of 
God").  Then  follows  a  full  chorus  beginning  with  male 
voices  in  unison  ("Why,  my  soul,  art  thou  cast  down?"), 
answered  by  the  female  voices  ("Trust  thou  in  God"). 
Again  the  soprano  voice  is  heard  in  pathetic  recitative 
("  O  my  God  !  my  soul  is  cast  down  within  me ;  all  Thy 
waves  and  Thy  billows  are  gone  over  me  ").  A  beautiful 
quartette  of  male  voices  with  string  accompaniment  replies, 
"The  Lord  will  command  His  loving  kindness  in  the 
day-time;  and  in  the  night  His  song  shall  be  with  me, 
and  my  prayer  unto  the  God  of  my  life."  The  response 
is  full  of  hope  and  consolation ;  but  through  it  all  runs 
the  mournful  strain  of  the  soprano,  followed  by  a  quintet 


3co     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

at  the  end,  and  coming  to  a  close  only  when  the  full 
chorus  joins  in  a  repetition  of  the  fourth  number  ("  Trust 
thou  in  God"),  this  time  elaborated  with  still  greater 
effect,  and  closing  with  a  stately  ascription  of  praise  to 
the  God  of  Israel. 

LAUDA  SION 

The  "  Lauda  Sion,"  or  sequence  sung  at  High  Mass  on 
the  Feast  of  Corpus  Christi,  was  chosen  by  Mendelssohn 
as  the  subject  of  one  of  his  most  beautiful  cantatas,  for 
four  solo  voices,  chorus,  and  orchestra.  The  majestic 
rhythm  of  Saint  Thomas  Aquinas's  verses  loses  none  of  its 
stateliness  in  this  musical  setting.  The  work  was  written 
for  the  celebration  of  this  Festival  by  the  Church  of  St. 
Martin  at  Liege,  and  was  first  performed  there  June  n, 
1846.  It  contains  seven  numbers.  After  a  short  intro- 
duction the  voices  give  out  the  theme  "  Lauda  Sion," 
followed  by  a  chorus  ("  Laudis  thema  "),  full  of  devo- 
tional spirit.  The  soprano  then  enunciates  in  the  "  Sit 
laus  plena  "  phrases  repeated  by  the  chorus,  followed  by 
a  beautifully  accompanied  quartette  ("  In  hac  mensa  "). 
The  fifth  number  is  a  solemn  chorale  in  unison,  leading  to 
a  soprano  solo  in  the  arioso  style  ("Caro  cibus"),  which 
is  exquisitely  beautiful.  The  work  concludes  with  a  dra- 
matic solo  and  chorus  ("Sumit  unus")  set  to  the  words 
"  Bone  pastor,"  and  the  closing  verses  of  the  hymn  it- 
self. Short  as  the  cantata  is,  it  is  one  of  the  most  felici- 
tous of  all  Mendelssohn's  settings  of  the  ritual. 


Music  TO  "A  MIDSUMMER  NIGHT'S  DREAM."     OP.  61 

The  incidental  music  to  Shakspeare's  "Midsummer 
Night's  Dream,"  is  divided  in  two  parts,  an  overture,  op. 
21,  and  the  music  to  various  scenes  of  the  play,  op.  61. 
The  overture,  in  A  major,  was  written  in  1826,  Mendelssohn 


MADAME  CLARA  NOVELLO 


MENDELSSOHN  301 

being  then  in  his  seventeenth  year,  though  the  original 
score  was  considerably  changed  in  accordance  with  sug- 
gestions made  by  Marx.  It  is  especially  interesting  as  be- 
ing the  starting-point  in  his  musical  career.  Though  he 
had  written  several  minor  pieces  previous  to  this,  the  over- 
ture was  the  first  to  express  his  own  individuality  and  a 
genuine  maturity  of  form,  and  this  to  such  a  degree  that 
when  he  wrote  the  music  to  the  play  seventeen  years  later, 
it  filled  its  place  in  the  perfected  scheme  as  freshly  and 
fittingly  as  if  it  were  composed  simultaneously  with  the 
rest.  It  contains  all  the  motives  of  the  play,  —  the  songs 
and  dances  of  the  fairies,  the  chases  of  the  lovers,  the 
dance  of  the  rustic  clowns,  the  grace  of  Titan  ia,  and  the 
airiness  of  Puck.  It  leads  us  into  the  fairy  kingdom,  and 
fascinates  us  with  its  poetical  beauty,  refinement,  grace, 
and  lightness ;  and  yet  this  almost  ethereal  mixture  of 
humour  and  fancy  is  constructed  in  the  strongest  and  most 
solid  manner. 

The  incidental  music  is  divided  into  twelve  numbers. 
The  first,  a  Scherzo,  in  G  minor,  comes  after  the  first  act 
of  the  play.  The  realities  of  the  happy  love  of  Theseus  and 
Hippolyta,  the  distressing  perplexities  of  Hermia  and 
Helena  in  their  cross  game  of  love  with  Lysander  and  De- 
metrius, and  the  jolly  assignment  of  parts  in  "  Pyramus 
and  Thisbe "  to  Quince  and  Bottom's  famous  company 
have  already  transpired.  The  Scherzo  rings  up  the  cur- 
tain, discloses  the  fairy  world  of  Titania  and  Oberon,  with 
its  chattering  elves  and  their  mischievous  gambols,  inter- 
rupted now  and  then  by  the  griefs  of  the  unfortunate  and 
tormented  lovers,  and  gradually  dies  away  in  airy  lightness. 

No.  2  is  a  melodrama  accompanying  the  first  scene  of 
Act  II,  the  reply  of  the  fairy  to  Puck  ("  Over  hill,  over 
dale  "),  and  the  continuation  of  their  dialogue,  until  it  is 
interrupted  by  the  entrance  of  Oberon  and  Titania  with 
their  respective  retinues,  at  which  point  the  music  leads  up 


302     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

to  the  Elfenmarsch  (Fairy  march),  one  of  the  daintiest  of 
rhythms.  At  its  close  the  music  accompanies  the  dialogue 
between  Oberon  and  Titania,  Oberon's  instructions  to 
Puck,  and  the  melancholy  encounter  of  Demetrius  and 
Helena. 

No.  3  is  a  song  and  chorus,  Allegro  ma  non  troppo,  for 
the  beginning  of  the  second  scene,  where  Titania  requests, 
"  Sing  me  now  asleep,  then  to  your  offices  and  let  me  rest." 
The  entire  song  ("  You  spotted  snakes,  with  double 
tongue  ")  is  set  for  a  soprano  duet  with  chorus,  closing 
with  the  exit  of  the  fairies  and  the  sleep  of  Titania. 

No.  4  is  a  melodrama,  Andante,  accompanying  the  epi- 
sode where  Oberon  squeezes  the  juice  of  the  purple  flower 
upon  Titania's  eyelids  ("  What  thou  seest  when  thou  dost 
wake  "),  and  the  short  dialogue  in  the  wood  between 
Lysander  and  Hermia. 

No.  5  is  an  Intermezzo,  Allegro  appassianato,  which  in 
agitated,  restless,  and  yet  dainty  style  accompanies  the  sad 
quest  of  Helena  for  Demetrius,  and  her  encounter  with 
Lysander,  with  its  magical  results,  and  leads  up  to  an  Al- 
legro molto  commodo,  preparatory  to  the  introduction  of 
the  rustic  actors  at  the  beginning  of  the  third  act. 

No.  6  is  a  melodrama,  Allegro,  accompanying  the  re- 
hearsal of  the  actors,  Puck's  interruption  and  the  mischiev- 
ous tricks  he  plays  upon  them,  Titania's  awakening  and 
declaration  of  love  for  Bottom,  the  entrance  of  the  fairies, 
and  the  subsequent  adventures  of  Hermia  and  Demetrius, 
Lysander  and  Helena. 

No.  7  is  the  well-known  Nocturne,  in  E  major,  with  its 
exquisite  horn  passages  and  genuine  feeling  of  the  woods, 
to  the  strain  of  which  Bottom  has  his  "  exposition  of  sleep  " 
and  Titania  falls  into  slumber,  caressing  and  doting  upon 
her  uncouth  lover  in  the  ass's  head. 

No.  8  is  a  melodrama,  Andante,  accompanying  Oberon's 
welcome  to  Puck  ("  Her  dotage  now  I  do  begin  to  pity  "), 


MENDELSSOHN  303 

the  awakening  of  Titania,  the  dialogue  between  her  and 
Oberon,  and  the  entrance  of  Theseus,  Hippolyta,  and  their 
train. 

No.  9  is  the  wedding  march,  Allegro  vivace,  at  the  end 
of  the  fourth  act,  whose  brilliant  and  stirring  rhythm  and 
festive  passages  for  the  procession  are  so  familiar  that  they 
need  no  description. 

No.  10  is  a  melodrama,  Allegro  commodo,  accompany- 
ing the  performance  in  the  fifth  act  of  "  The  most  lamenta- 
ble comedy  and  most  cruel  death  of  Pyramus  and  Thisbe  ;  " 
and  Mendelssohn  has  not  forgotten  to  write  a  short  fu- 
neral march  when  the  trusty  sword  sends  Pyramus's  "  soul 
to  the  sky  "  and  "  imbrues  "  the  gentle  breast  of  Thisbe. 

No.  n,  Ein  Tanz  von  Riipeln,  Allegro  molto,  accompa- 
nies the  Bergomask  dance  which  follows  the  play  with 
uncouth  jollity  until  it  is  interrupted  by  Theseus's  injunc- 
tion ("The  iron  tongue  of  midnight  hath  told  twelve  "). 

No.  12,  melodrama,  Allegro  vivace,  begins  with  the  de- 
parture of  the  wedding  procession.  Darkness  now  comes 
on  apace,  and  Puck  begins  his  sombre  soliloquy  ("  Now 
the  hungry  lion  roars ").  The  music  leads  up  to  the 
Finale,  —  a  captivating  song  and  dance  of  the  fairies  as 
Oberon  blesses  the  palace,  and  bestows  his  benediction 
upon  the  three  happy  couples. 

SYMPHONY  No.  3,  IN  A  MINOR  (SCOTCH).     OP.  56 

1.  INTRODUCTION.    ALLEGRO  AGITATO. 

2.  SCHERZO.    ASSAI  VIVACE. 

3.  ADAGIO  CANTABILE. 

4.  ALLEGRO  GUERRIERO.    FINALE  MAESTOSO. 

The  A  minor  symphony,  the  third  of  the  Mendelssohn 
series,  is  familiarly  known  as  the  "  Scotch,"  the  composer 
having  given  it  that  name  in  his  letters  written  from  Rome 
in  1832.  The  first  conception  of  the  symphony  dates  still 
farther  back.  In  April,  1829,  Mendelssohn,  then  in  his 


3o4     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

twentieth  year,  paid  his  first  visit  to  England.  After  re- 
maining in  London  two  months  he  went  to  Scotland, 
arriving  in  Edinburgh  July  28  ;  the  next  day  he  heard  a 
competition  of  the  Highland  pipers,  which,  it  may  well  be 
imagined,  gave  him  a  good  idea  of  the  national  melodies. 
The  next  day  he  visited  Holyrood.  He  writes  in  his  let- 
ters that  he  saw  the  place  where  Rizzio  was  murdered,  and 
the  chapel  where  Mary  was  crowned,  "  open  to  the  sky, 
and  surrounded  with  grass  and  ivy,  and  everything  ruined 
and  decayed;  and  I  think  I  found  there  the  beginning  of 
my  Scotch  symphony."  He  wrote  down  on  the  spot  the 
first  sixteen  bars  of  the  introduction,  announcing  the 
theme  which  not  only  opens  but  closes  the  movements 
and  thus  gives  an  unmistakable  clew  to  its  meaning. 

Its  introduction  begins  with  the  Andante  theme  already 
mentioned,  a  melody  of  a  sombre  and  even  melancholy  cast, 
which  admirably  reflects  the  influence  of  that  gray  evening 
at  Holyrood.  The  first  theme,  Allegro  un  poco  agitato,  is 
of  the  same  cast.  A  subsidiary  theme,  of  a  tender,  plain- 
tive character,  leads  back  to  the  Andante  of  the  introduc- 
tion, which  closes  a  movement  rarely  equalled  for  its  mu- 
sical and  poetical  expression  and  graceful  finish. 

A  short  passage  for  flutes,  horns,  and  bassoons  connects 
this  earnest,  serious  movement  with  the  Scherzo,  which 
gives  us  a  different  picture.  In  its  form,  it  departs  from 
the  Minuet  and  Trio,  and  is  purely  a  caprice,  and  a  most 
lovely  one ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  it  differs  from  all  his 
other  Scherzos  in  the  absence  of  their  sportive,  fantastic 
quality.  It  is  a  picture  of  pastoral  nature,  characterized 
by  a  continuous  flow  of  rural  gaiety.  Its  opening  theme, 
given  out  by  the  clarinets,  dominates  it  throughout ;  for 
the  second  theme  plays  but  a  small  part,  though  it  has  its 
place  in  the  general  working  up.  The  first  motive  is  fre- 
quently reiterated,  and  fills  the  movement  with  glowing  life 
and  spirit. 


MENDELSSOHN  305 

The  Adagio  cantabile  presents  still  another  picture. 
The  first  movement  gave  us  the  sombre  tints ;  the  second, 
those  of  rural  freedom  and  idyllic  gaiety ;  the  third,  though 
still  infused  with  melancholy,  is  evidently  a  reverie  in 
which  the  composer  meditates  upon  the  ancient  state  and 
grandeur  of  the  country.  Its  majestic  strains  might  almost 
have  been  swept  from  Ossian's  harp,  and  it  well  prepares 
the  way  for  the  final  movement,  the  impetuous  first  part 
of  which  is  marked  Allegro  guerriero.  The  romantic  sen- 
timent disappears.  In  its  place  we  have  the  heroic  ex- 
pressed with  astonishing  force  and  exuberant  spirit  in  its 
three  themes,  which  finally  give  place  to  a  short  second 
part,  maestoso,  colored  by  national  melody,  and  closing 
this  exquisite  tone-picture  of  the  Scotch  visit. 

SYMPHONY  No.  4,  IN  A  (ITALIAN).    OP.  90 

1.  ALLEGRO  VIVACE.  3.  CON  MOTO  MODERATO. 

2.  ANDANTE  CON  MOTO.        4.  SALTARELLO.    PRESTO. 

Like  the  A  minor  symphony,  the  A  major  gets  its  fa- 
miliar name  from  the  composer  himself,  who  always  styles 
it  the  "  Italian  "  in  his  letters.  The  first  movement,  Al- 
legro vivace,  reflects  as  clearly  the  blue  skies,  clear  air, 
brightness,  and  joyousness  of  Italy  as  the  first  movement 
of  the  A  minor  symphony  does  the  sombre  and  melan- 
choly aspect  of  Holyrood.  After  a  moment  of  prepara- 
tion, the  violins  sweep  off  at  once  in  a  vigorous  theme  to 
an  accompaniment  of  horns,  bassoons,  clarinets,  and  flutes. 
After  its  development,  the  order  is  reversed ;  and  a  second 
theme,  more  restful  in  character,  appears  for  the  clarinets 
and  bassoons,  with  string  accompaniment.  It  is  taken  by  the 
flutes  and  oboes,  and  leads  the  way  to  a  new  theme  for 
the  first  violins  and  clarinets,  the  development  of  which 
brings  us  back  to  the  first  theme,  closing  the  first  part  of 
the  movement.  The  second  part  opens  with  a  fresh, 

20 


3o6     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

bright  theme  given  out  by  the  second  violins  and  con- 
tinued by  the  other  strings  and  flutes,  followed  by  an 
episode  for  the  strings  alone,  which  furnishes  a  remark- 
able display  of  the  composer's  contrapuntal  skill.  It  is 
finally  interrupted  by  the  wind  instruments.  The  principal 
themes  reappear  in  various  forms,  at  last  returning  to  the 
first.  Toward  the  close  of  the  movement  an  entirely 
new  subject  appears  for  the  first  violins.  The  Coda  is 
full  of  spirit  and  joyous  feeling,  and  at  last  the  happy, 
vivacious  movement  comes  to  an  end. 

The  Andante,  sometimes  called  the  "  Pilgrims'  March," 
though  the  title  is  merely  fanciful,  opens  with  a  unison 
phrase,  which  has  been  construed  by  one  authority  as  a 
call  to  prayer,  and  by  another  —  with  more  propriety,  as 
it  would  seem  —  the  call  to  attention.  It  is  followed  at 
once  by  the  principal  theme,  given  out  by  the  oboe,  bas- 
soon, and  violas,  and  then  repeated  by  the  first  violins, 
with  an  elaborate  accompaniment  by  the  flutes.  After  the 
announcement  of  the  second  theme,  with  a  similar  instru- 
mental setting  to  the  first,  the  second  part  opens  with  a 
bright,  joyous  strain  from  the  clarinets,  reenforced  by  the 
violins  and  flutes.  At  the  close  of  its  development  the 
call  is  heard  again,  summoning  attention  to  the  develop- 
ment of  the  thematic  materials  already  presented. 

The  third  movement,  Con  moto  moderato,  is  supposed 
to  have  been  taken  from  one  of  his  youthful  works,  though 
its  identity  in  this  respect  has  never  been  discovered.  It 
opens  with  a  simple  but  graceful  melody.  The  trio  is 
fresh  and  full  of  delicate  fancy.  At  its  conclusion  the 
first  theme  returns,  and  a  charming  coda  constructed 
upon  suggestions  of  this  theme,  brings  the  movement  to  a 
close. 

If  there  were  any  doubt  about  the  national  significance 
of  this  symphony,  it  would  be  removed  by  the  Italian 
Finale,  Saltarello  presto,  evidently  inspired  by  the  Roman 


MENDELSSOHN  307 

carnival,  of  which  Mendelssohn  was  a  delighted  spectator. 
The  movement  is  a  Saltarello,  a  favorite  dance  rhythm  in 
Italy,  combined  with  a  whirling  Tarantella  with  astonishing 
skill.  After  a  short  introduction  the  flutes  lead  off  in  the 
merry  dance,  the  other  instruments  soon  joining  as  if  they 
too  had  caught  the  mad  contagion.  At  the  close  of  the 
theme  a  soberer  melody  is  given  out  by  the  violins,  the 
wind  instruments  still  busied  with  fragments  of  the  dance 
measures.  Soon  the  Saltarello  returns  again,  however,  this 
time  with  a  fresh  accompaniment.  At  last  it  gives  place 
to  the  rush  of  a  Tarantella  whirling  gayly  along  until  the 
Saltarello  combines  with  it,  and  the  two  rhythms  go  on  to 
the  end,  now  alternating,  now  together,  in  a  general  terp- 
sichorean  hurly-burly,  full  of  genuine  Italian  brilliancy  and 
vivacity. 

THE  REFORMATION  SYMPHONY,  No.  5.     OP.  107 

1.  ANDANTE.    ALLEGRO  CON  FUOCO. 

2.  ALLEGRO  VIVACE. 

3.  ANDANTE. 

4.  CHORALK.    ALLEGRO  VIVACE. 

5.  FINALE.    ALLEGRO  MAESTOSO. 

The  Reformation  symphony  was  written  by  Mendelssohn 
in  his  twenty-first  year,  with  the  expectation  of  its  perform- 
ance at  the  Tercentenary  Festival  of  the  Augsburg  Con- 
fession, June  25,  1830,  being  the  anniversary  of  the 
confession  of  faith  which  was  presented  by  Luther  and 
Melanchthon  to  the  Emperor  Charles  V  at  the  Diet  of 
Augsburg,  1530.  It  was  finished  in  May,  1830,  but  was 
not  brought  to  the  anticipated  performance  in  Leipsic 
owing  to  fierce  and  even  riotous  opposition  made  by  op- 
ponents of  the  celebration.  In  1832  it  was  rehearsed  in 
Paris  with  a  view  to  performance,  but  again  circumstances 
proved  unfavorable,  and  it  was  not  heard  until  December 
of  that  year  when  Mendelssohn  himself  produced  it  in 


3o8     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

Berlin  for  the  benefit  of  the  "  Orchestral  Widows'  Fund  " 
of  that  city.  The  work  was  then  laid  aside  for  more  than 
thirty  years,  when  it  was  revived  in  London,  and  since 
that  time  has  been  frequently  performed  both  in  England 
and  the  United  States. 

The  first  movement  typifies  the  struggle  between  the 
old  and  new  faith,  and  is  strong  and  serious  throughout. 
The  first  theme  is  given  out  by  the  violas,  and  at  once 
taken  up  by  the  'cellos.  During  its  development  the  wind 
instruments  in  unison  announce  the  second  theme,  which 
is  answered  by  the  strings  in  a  gentle  strain,  modulating  to 
the  dominant  cadence,  which  is  twice  repeated ;  the  re- 
sponse being  the  passage  used  for  "  Amen  "  in  the  Catholic 
Church  at  Dresden,  known  as  the  "  Dresden  Amen."  At 
the  close  of  this  significant  introduction  follows  an  Allegro 
con  fuoco,  built  up  on  two  principal  themes,  the  develop- 
ment of  which,  as  well  as  the  stormy  character  of  its 
progress,  unquestionably  indicates  the  conflict,  which  is 
significantly  marked  by  the  return  of  the  "  Amen  "  passage 
at  the  very  height  of  the  struggle,  as  if  the  Church  were 
still  dominant.  The  coda  restates  the  material  of  the 
Allegro,  but  in  a  subdued  manner.  Then  follows  a  cres- 
cendo leading  up  to  a  vigorous  close. 

The  second  movement,  Allegro  vivace,  except  for  the 
pure  and  spiritual  nature  of  its  contents  can  hardly  be 
called  a  part  of  the  programme.  Its  two  themes  are 
charming  in  their  grace  and  refinement,  but  play  no  par- 
ticular part  in  telling  the  story  of  the  progress  of  the  new 
faith. 

The  opening  of  the  third  movement,  Andante,  is  ex- 
ceedingly beautiful  and  effective.  The  leading  theme, 
most  pathetic  in  character,  is  given  out  by  the  violins, 
accompanied  by  the  other  strings.  After  a  brief  remi- 
niscence of  the  second  theme  of  the  Allegro  con  fuoco, 
the  melody  of  Luther's  hymn,  "  Ein'  feste  Burg  iet  unser 


FELIX  MENDELSSOHN  BARTHOLDY 


MENDELSSOHN  309 

Gott,"  is  given  out  by  a  single  flute,  unaccompanied,  herald 
of  the  triumph  of  the  coming  new  religion.  After  three 
bars  the  wood  winds  take  up  the  theme  and  fill  out  the 
harmony.  The  violas  and  'cellos  come  in  to  enrich  it.  A 
variation  follows,  Allegro  vivace,  in  which  the  violins  take 
part,  while  fragments  of  the  theme  are  treated  by  the 
clarinets,  oboes,  and  flute,  leading  up  to  the  Finale,  Allegro 
maestoso.  The  first  theme  is  a  fugal  passage  for  strings, 
which  occurs  twice,  and  the  second  a  triumphant  strain, 
prophetic  of  victory.  At  the  second  appearance  of  the 
fugue,  led  off  by  the  first  violins,  the  chorale,  given  out 
by  the  wind  instruments,  disputes  its  superiority.  The 
fugue  continues  independently,  and  finally  the  chorale 
combines  with  it.  The  second  theme  also  reappears,  but 
at  last  the  climax  is  reached,  and  the  full  orchestra  fortis- 
simo proclaims  the  "  Ein'  feste  Burg  ist  unser  Gott"  in  all 
its  sonorous  majesty. 


SAINT  PAUL 

"Saint  Paul,"  first  of  Mendelssohn's  oratorios,  was  be- 
gun in  Du'sseldorf  and  finished  in  Leipsic  in  the  Winter  of 

1835,  the  composer  being  then  in  his  twenty-sixth  year. 
He  first  applied  to  Marx  to  write  the  text ;  but  the  invita- 
tion was  declined,  on  the  ground  that  the  chorales  were 
unsuited  to  the   period  of  the  narrative.      Mendelssohn 
then  consulted  with  his  friends  Furst  and  Schubring,  and 
the  libretto  as  it  now  stands  represents  their  joint  compila- 
tion.     Its  three  principal  themes  are  the  martyrdom  of 
Saint  Stephen,  the  conversion  of  Saint  Paul,  and  the  Apos- 
tle's subsequent  career.     The  work  was  produced  May  22, 

1836,  on  the  occasion  of  the  Lower  Rhine  Festival  at 
Du'sseldorf.     The  principal  parts  were  sung  by  Madame 
Fischer-Achten,  Mademoiselle  Grabau,  Herren  Schmetzer 
and  Wersing,  the  latter  artist  taking  the  part  of  Paul. 


jio     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

After  a  long  and  expressive  overture  for  orchestra  and 
organ,  the  first  part  opens  with  a  strong  and  exultant 
chorus  ("Lord  !  Thou  alone  art  God  ").  It  is  massively 
constructed,  and  in  its  middle  part  runs  into  a  restless, 
agitated  theme  ("The  heathen  furiously  rage").  It 
closes,  however,  in  the  same  energetic  and  jubilant  man- 
ner which  characterizes  its  opening,  and  leads  directly  to  a 
chorale  ("To  God  on  high"),  set  to  a  famous  old  Ger- 
man hymn-book  tune  ("  Allein  Gott  in  der  Hoh"  sei 
Ehr"),  which  is  serenely  beautiful  in  its  clearly  flowing 
harmony.  The  martyrdom  of  Stephen  follows.  The 
basses  in  vigorous  recitative  accuse  him  of  blasphemy,  and 
the  people  break  out  in  an  angry  chorus  ("  Now  this  man 
ceaseth  not  to  utter  blasphemous  words  ").  At  its  close 
Stephen  sings  a  brief,  but  beautiful  solo  ("  Men,  brethren, 
and  fathers  !  ")  ;  and  as  the  calm  protest  dies  away,  again 
the  full  chorus  gives  vent  to  a  tumultuous  shout  of  indig- 
nation ("Take  him  away").  A  note  of  warning  is  heard 
in  the  fervent  soprano  solo,  "  Jerusalem,  thou  that  killest 
the  prophets ;  "  but  it  is  of  no  avail.  Again  the  chorus 
hurls  its  imprecations  more  furiously  than  before  ("  Stone 
him  to  death").  The  tragedy  occurs.  A  few  bars  of 
recitative  for  tenor,  full  of  pathos,  tell  the  sad  story,  and 
then  follows  another  beautiful  chorale  of  submission  ("  To 
Thee,  O  Lord,  I  yield  my  spirit").  Saul's  participation 
in  the  tragedy  is  barely  touched  upon.  The  lament  for 
Stephen  is  followed  by  the  chorus,  "  Happy  and  blest  are 
they."  which  is  beautifully  melodious  in  character.  Saul 
now  appears,  "  breathing  out  threatenings  and  slaughter  " 
against  the  Apostles.  His  first  aria  ("  Consume  them 
all")  is  a  bass  solo  which  is  fiery  in  its  energy.  It  is  fol- 
lowed by  the  lovely  arioso  for  alto  ("  But  the  Lord  is 
mindful  of  His  own  "),  —  fitting  companion  to  the  equally 
beautiful  "  Oh,  rest  in  the  Lord "  from  "  Elijah,"  and 
much  resembling  it  in  general  style.  Then  occurs  the 


MENDELSSOHN  311 

conversion.  The  voice  from  heaven  ("Saul,  Saul,  why 
persecutest  thou  Me?")  is  represented,  as  was  often  done 
in  the  passion-music,  by  the  soprano  choir,  which  gives  it 
peculiar  significance  and  makes  it  stand  out  in  striking 
contrast  with  the  rest  of  the  work.  A  forcible  orchestral 
interlude,  worked  up  in  a  strong  crescendo,  leads  to  the 
vigorous  chorus  ("  Rise  up  !  arise  !  ")  in  which  the  power- 
ful orchestral  climax  adds  great  strength  to  the  vocal  part. 
It  is  a  vigorously  constructed  chorus,  and  is  followed  by  a 
chorale  ("Sleepers,  wake  !  a  voice  is  calling"),  the  effect 
of  which  is  heightened  by  trumpet  notes  between  the 
lines.  At  the  close  of  the  imposing  harmony  the  music 
grows  deeper  and  more  serious  in  character  as  Saul 
breathes  out  his  prayer  ("  O  God,  have  mercy  upon 
me  ") ;  and  again,  after  the  message  of  forgiveness  and 
mercy  delivered  by  Ananias,  more  joyful  and  exultant  in 
the  bass  solo  with  chorus  ("  I  praise  Thee,  O  Lord,  my 
God  "),  Saul  receives  his  sight,  and  straightway  begins  his 
ministrations.  A  grand  reflective  chorus  ("  Oh,  great  is 
the  depth  of  the  riches  of  wisdom  "),  strong  and  jubilant 
in  character,  and  rising  to  a  powerful  climax,  closes  the 
first  part. 

The  second  part  opens  with  the  five-part  chorus,  "The 
nations  are  now  the  Lord's," — a  clear  fugue,  stately  and 
dignified  in  its  style,  leading,  after  a  tenor  and  bass  duet 
("Now  all  are  ambassadors  in  the  name  of  Christ"),  to 
the  beautifully  melodious  chorus,  "  How  lovely  are  the 
messengers  that  preach  us  the  gospel  of  peace  !  "  and  the 
equally  beautiful  soprano  arioso,  "  I  will  sing  of  Thy  great 
mercies."  After  the  chorus  ("  Thus  saith  the  Lord  "), 
and  a  second  tumultuous  chorus  expressive  of  rage  and 
scorn  ("  Is  this  He  who  in  Jerusalem  "),  another  chorale 
occurs  ("O  Thou,  the  true  and  only  light "),  in  which  the 
Church  prays  for  direction.  The  tenor  recitative  announc- 
ing the  departure  of  Paul  and  Barnabas  to  the  Gentiles, 


STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

followed  by  the  tenor  and  bass  duet  ("  For  so  hath  the 
Lord  Himself  commanded  "),  brings  us  to  the  scene  of  the 
sacrifice  at  Lystra,  in  which  the  two  choruses  ("  The  gods 
themselves  as  mortals"  and  "Oh,  be  gracious,  ye  Immor- 
tals"), are  full  of  genuine  Greek  sensuousness  and  in 
striking  contrast  with  the  seriousness  and  majestic  charac- 
ter of  the  harmony  in  the  Christian  chorus  ("  But  our 
God  abideth  in  heaven  ")  which  follows.  Once  more 
the  Jews  interfere,  in  the  raging,  wrathful  chorus,  "This 
is  Jehovah's  temple."  In  a  pathetic  tenor  aria  ("  Be  thou 
faithful  unto  death")  Paul  takes  a  sorrowful  leave  of  his 
brethren,  and  in  response  comes  an  equally  tender  chorus 
"  Far  be  it  from  thy  path."  Two  stately  choruses  ("  See 
what  love  hath  the  Father  "  and  "  Now  only  unto  Him  ") 
close  the  work. 

HYMN  OF  PRAISE 

The  "  Lobgesang  "  ("  Hymn  of  Praise  ")  was  written  at 
Leipsic  in  1840,  the  occasion  which  gave  birth  to  it  being 
the  fourth  centennial  celebration  of  the  introduction  of  the 
art  of  printing,  which  took  place  June  24  and  25  of  the 
above  year.  Its  next  performance  was  at  Birmingham, 
September  23,  1840,  Mendelssohn  himself  conducting. 
After  this  performance  it  was  considerably  changed,  and 
the  whole  scene  of  the  watchman  was  added.  The  idea 
occurred  to  him  after  a  sleepless  night,  during  which,  as 
he  informed  a  friend,  the  words  "  Will  the  night  soon 
pass?"  incessantly  came  into  his  mind. 

The  text  to  the  "  Hymn  of  Praise  "  is  not  in  narrative 
form,  nor  has  it  any  particular  dramatic  significance.  It 
is  what  its  name  indicates,  —  a  tribute  of  praise.  The 
expression  of  delight  over  victory  is  well  brought  out, 
not  only  in  the  music,  but  also  in  the  arrangement  of  the 
Scriptural  texts,  which  begin  with  exhortations  of  praise 


MENDELSSOHN  313 

and  appeals  to  those  who  have  been  in  distress  and  afflic- 
tion to  trust  the  Lord.  The  tenor,  who  may  be  regarded 
as  the  narrator,  calls  upon  the  watchman,  "  What  of  the 
night?"  The  response  comes  that  the  night  has  passed. 
In  exultation  over  the  victory,  once  more  the  text  ascribes 
praise  to  the  Lord.  "  All  that  has  life  and  breath  "  sings 
to  His  name. 

The  symphony  is  in  three  parts,  beginning  with  a  maes- 
toso movement,  in  which  the  trombones  at  once  give  out 
the  choral  motive,  "  All  that  has  life  and  breath  sing  to 
the  Lord,"-— a  favorite  theme  of  Mendelssohn.  This 
movement,  which  is  strong  and  energetic  in  character,  is 
followed  by  an  allegretto  based  upon  a  beautiful  melody, 
and  to  this  in  turn  succeeds  an  Adagio  religiose  rich  in 
harmony.  The  opening  chorus  ("  All  that  has  life  and 
breath  ")  is  based  upon  the  choral  motive,  and  enunciates 
the  real  "  Hymn  of  Praise."  It  moves  along  in  a  stately 
manner,  and  finally  leads  without  break  into  a  semi-chorus 
("  Praise  thou  the  Lord,  O  my  spirit ! "),  a  soprano  solo 
with  accompaniment  of  female  voices.  The  tenor  in  a 
long  dramatic  recitative  ("  Sing  ye  praise,  all  ye  redeemed 
of  the  Lord ")  urges  the  faithful  to  join  in  praise  and 
extol  His  goodness,  and  the  chorus  responds,  first  the 
tenors,  and  then  all  the  parts,  in  a  beautiful  number  ("  All 
ye  that  cried  unto  the  Lord  ").  The  next  number  is  an 
exquisite  duet  for  soprano  and  alto  with  chorus  ("  I  waited 
for  the  Lord  ").  It  is  thoroughly  devotional  in  style,  and 
in  its  general  color  and  effect  reminds  one  of  the  arias, 
"  Oh,  rest  in  the  Lord,"  from  "  Elijah,"  and  "  The  Lord 
is  mindful  of  His  own,"  from  "  Saint  Paul."  This  duet  is 
followed  by  a  sorrowful,  almost  wailing  tenor  solo  ("  The 
sorrows  of  death  had  closed  all  around  me  "),  ending  with 
the  piercing,  anxious  cry  in  recitative,  "  Watchman  !  will 
the  night  soon  pass?"  set  to  a  restless,  agitated  accom- 
paniment and  thrice  repeated.  Like  a  flash  from  a  cloud 


STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

comes  the  quick  response  of  the  chorus  ("  The  night  is 
departing"),  which  forms  the  climax  of  the  work.  The 
chorus  is  beautifully  constructed,  and  impressive  in  its 
effect.  At  first  the  full  chorus  proclaims  the  night's 
departure ;  it  then  takes  the  fugal  form  on  the  words 
"Therefore  let  us  cast  off  the  works  of  darkness,"  which 
is  most  effectively  worked  out. 

In  the  Finale  the  male  voices  are  massed  on  the  declar- 
ation ("The  night  is  departing")  and  the  female  voices 
on  the  response  ("  The  day  is  approaching  ") ;  and  after 
alternating  repetitions  all  close  in  broad,  flowing  harmony. 
This  chorus  leads  directly  to  the  chorale  ("  Let  all  men 
praise  the  Lord  "),  sung  first  without  accompaniment, 
and  then  in  unison  with  orchestra.  Another  beautiful 
duet  ("  My  song  shall  alway  be  Thy  mercy  "),  this  time 
for  soprano  and  tenor,  follows,  and  prepares  the  way  for 
the  final  fugued  chorus  ("  Ye  nations,  offer  to  the  Lord  "), 
a  massive  number,  stately  in  its  proportions  and  impres- 
sive in  its  effect,  and  closing  with  a  fortissimo  delivery 
of  the  splendid  choral  motive  ("All  that  has  life  and 
breath  "). 

ELIJAH 

"  Elijah,"  the  most  admired  of  all  Mendelssohn's  com- 
positions, was  finished  in  1846,  and  was  first  performed 
August  1 8  of  that  year,  at  the  Birmingham  (England)  Fes- 
tival. Notwithstanding  Mendelssohn's  delight  with  the  per- 
formance, he  was  not  satisfied  with  the  oratorio  as  a  whole. 
He  made  numerous  changes  and  rewrote  portions  of  the 
work,  —  indeed,  there  was  scarcely  a  movement  that  was 
not  retouched.  It  is  interesting  to  note  in  this  connec- 
tion that  the  beautiful  trio  ("  Lift  thine  eyes  ")  was  origi- 
nally a  duet,  and  very  different  in  character.  The  first 
performance  of  the  work  in  London  took  place  April  1 6, 


MENDELSSOHN  315 

1847,  when  it  was  given  by  the  Sacred  Harmonic  Society. 
The  prominent  scenes  treated  in  the  oratorio  are  the 
drought  prophecy,  the  raising  of  the  widow's  son,  the  rival 
sacrifices,  the  appearance  of  the  rain  in  answer  to  Elijah's 
appeal,  Jezebel's  persecution  of  Elijah,  the  sojourn  in  the 
desert,  his  return,  his  disappearance  in  the  fiery  chariot, 
and  the  Finale,  which  reflects  upon  the  meaning  of  the 
sacred  narrative. 

The  introduction  to  the  oratorio  is  prefaced  by  a 
brief,  but  impressive  recitative  —  Elijah's  prophecy  of  the 
drought  —  leading  directly  to  the  overture,  a  sombre,  de- 
spairing prelude,  picturing  the  distress  which  is  to  follow 
as  the  curse  settles  down  upon  the  streams  and  valleys. 
At  last  the  suffering  is  voiced  in  the  opening  chorus 
("  Help,  Lord  !  "),  which,  after  three  passionate  appeals, 
moves  along  in  plaintive  beauty,  developing  phrase  after 
phrase  of  touching  appeal,  and  leading  to  a  second  chorus, 
with  duet  for  two  sopranos  ("  Lord,  bow  Thine  ear  to  our 
prayer  "),  the  choral  part  of  which  is  an  old  Jewish  chant, 
sung  alternately  by  the  male  and  female  voices  in  unison. 
It  is  followed  by  Obadiah's  lovely  tenor  aria  ("  If  with  all 
your  hearts"),  full  of  tenderness  and  consolation.  Again 
the  people  break  out  into  a  chorus  of  lamentation  ("  Yet 
doth  the  Lord  see  it  not "),  which  at  the  close  develops 
into  a  chorale  of  graceful  and  serene  beauty  ("  For  He 
the  Lord  our  God  ").  Then  follows  the  voice  of  an  angel 
summoning  Elijah  to  the  brook  of  Cherith,  leading  to  the 
beautiful  double  quartette  ("  For  He  shall  give  His  angels 
charge  over  thee"),  the  melody  of  which  is  simple,  but 
full  of  animation,  and  worked  up  with  a  skilful  effect. 
Again  the  angel  summons  Elijah  to  go  to  the  widow's 
house  at  Zarephath.  The  dramatic  scene  of  the  raising 
of  her  son  ensues,  comprising  a  passionate  song  by  the 
mother  ("  What  have  I  to  do  with  thee?  ")  and  the  noble 
declaration  of  the  prophet  ("  Give  me  thy  son  "),  and 


316     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

closing  with  the  reflective  chorus  ("  Blessed  are  the  men 
who  fear  Him  "). 

In  the  next  scene  we  have  the  appearance  of  Elijah  be- 
fore Ahab,  and  the  challenge  of  the  priests  of  Baal  to  the 
sacrifice  on  Mount  Carmel,  set  forth  in  vigorous  recitative, 
accompanied  by  short  choral  outbursts.  At  the  words  of 
Elijah  ("  Invoke  your  forest  gods  and  mountain  deities  ") 
the  priests  of  Baal  break  out  into  the  stirring  double  chorus 
("Baal,  we  cry  to  thee"),  which  is  fairly  sensual  and 
heathenish  in  its  rugged,  abrupt  melodies,  as  compared 
with  the  Christian  music.  At  its  close  Elijah  bids  them 
"  call  him  louder,  for  he  is  a  God ;  he  talketh,  or  he 
is  pursuing  !  "  Again  they  break  out  into  a  chorus  of 
barbaric  energy  ("  Hear  our  cry,  O  Baal !  "),  in  the  inter- 
vals of  which  Elijah  taunts  them  again  and  again  with  the 
appeal,  "  Call  him  louder."  The  priests  renew  their 
shouts,  each  time  with  increasing  force,  pausing  in  vain 
for  the  reply,  and  closing  with  a  rapid,  almost  angry  expos- 
tulation ("  Hear  and  answer").  Then  follows  the  calm, 
dignified  prayer  of  the  prophet  ("  Lord  God  of  Abra- 
ham"), succeeded  by  a  simple,  but  beautiful  chorale 
("  Cast  thy  burden  upon  the  Lord  ").  It  is  the  moment 
of  quiet  before  the  storm  which  is  to  come.  He  calls  for 
the  fire  to  descend  upon  the  altar,  and  a  chorus  of  pas- 
sionate energy  replies  ("  The  fire  descends  from  heaven  "), 
accompanied  by  imitative  music,  and  closing  with  a  brief 
movement  in  broad  harmony.  In  fierce  recitative  Elijah 
dooms  the  priests  of  Baal  to  destruction,  and  after  a  short 
chorale  reply  sings  the  bass  aria  ("  Is  not  His  word  like  a 
fire?")  —  a  song  of  extraordinary  difficulty,  and  requiring 
a  voice  of  exceptional  accuracy  and  power  for  its  proper 
performance.  A  lovely  arioso  for  alto  ("  Woe  unto 
them  ")  follows  Elijah's  vigorous  declamation.  These  two 
arias  are  connecting  links  between  the  fire  chorus  and 
the  rain  scene  which  ensues.  Obadiah  summons  Elijah 


MENDELSSOHN  317 

to  help  the  people,  and  Elijah  replies  in  an  exquisite  little 
andante  passage,  repeated  by  the  chorus  ("  Open  the 
heavens  and  send  us  relief").  Then  follows  a  dialogue- 
passage  between  the  prophet,  the  people,  and  the  youth, 
whom  he  bids  "look  toward  the  sea,"  —  the  most  striking 
features  of  which  are  the  responses  of  the  youth  and  the 
orchestral  climax  as  the  heavens  grow  black  and  "  the 
storm  rushes  louder  and  louder."  As  the  deluge  of  rain 
descends,  the  thankful  people  break  out  into  a  passionate 
shout  of  delight  ("  Thanks  be  to  God  "),  heard  above  the 
tempest  in  the  orchestra.  At  first  it  is  a  brief  expression 
of  gratitude.  The  voices  come  to  a  pause,  and  Elijah 
repeats  the  tribute  of  praise.  Then  all  join  in  a  surging 
tumult  of  harmony,  as  fresh  and  delightful  as  was  the  pour- 
ing rain  to  the  thirsty  land,  voices  and  instruments  vying 
with  each  other  in  joyful  acclamations,  until  the  end  is 
reached  and  the  first  part  closes. 

The  second  part  opens  with  a  brilliant  soprano  solo 
("  Hear  ye,  Israel "),  beginning  with  a  note  of  warning, 
and  then  with  trumpet  obligato  developing  into  another 
melody  of  an  impetuous  and  animated  description  ("  I,  I 
am  He  that  comforteth  ").  The  solo  leads  to  the  magnifi- 
cent chorus  ("  Be  not  afraid  "),  in  which,  after  a  short 
pause,  the  entire  force  of  voices,  orchestra,  and  organ  join 
in  the  sublime  strain,  sweeping  on  in  broad,  full  harmony. 
There  is  a  pause  of  the  voices  for  two  bars,  then  they 
move  on  in  a  strong  fugue  ("  Though  thousands  languish 
and  fall ").  At  its  close  they  are  all  merged  again  in  the 
grand  announcement  "  Be  not  afraid,"  delivered  with 
impetuosity,  and  ending  with  the  same  subject  in  power- 
ful chorale  form.  The  scene  which  follows  is  intensely 
dramatic.  The  prophet  rebukes  Ahab  and  condemns  the 
Baal  worship.  Jezebel  fiercely  accuses  Elijah  of  conspir- 
ing against  Israel,  and  the  people  in  sharp,  impetuous 
phrases  declare  "  He  shall  perish,"  leading  to  the  chorus 


318     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

"  Woe  to  him  !  "  After  a  few  bars  for  the  instruments, 
Obadiah,  in  an  exquisite  recitative,  counsels  him  to  fly 
to  the  wilderness.  In  the  next  scene  we  behold  Elijah 
alone,  and  in  a  feeble  but  infinitely  tender  plaint  he  re- 
signs himself.  It  is  hard  to  conceive  anything  grander 
and  yet  more  pathetic  than  this  aria  ("  It  is  enough  "), 
in  which  the  prophet  prays  for  death.  A  few  bars  of 
tenor  recitative  tell  us  that,  wearied  out,  he  has  fallen 
asleep  ("  See,  now  he  sleepeth  beneath  a  juniper-tree  in 
the  wilderness,  and  there  the  angels  of  the  Lord  encamp 
round  about  all  them  that  fear  Him").  It  introduces  the 
trio  of  the  angels  ("Lift  thine  eyes  to  the  mountains"), 
sung  without  accompaniment,  —  one  of  the  purest,  love- 
liest, and  most  delightful  of  all  vocal  trios.  An  exquisite 
chorus  ("  He  watching  over  Israel ")  follows,  in  which 
the  second  theme,  introduced  by  the  tenors  ("Shouldst 
thou,  walking  in  grief"),  is  full  of  tender  beauty;  the  trio 
and  chorus  are  the  perfection  of  dream-music.  At  its 
close  the  angel  awakes  Elijah,  and  once  more  we  hear 
his  pathetic  complaint  ("  O  Lord,  I  have  labored  in 
vain;  oh,  that  I  now  might  die!  ").  In  response  comes 
an  aria  of  celestial  beauty,  sung  by  the  angel  ("  Oh,  rest 
in  the  Lord"),  breathing  the  very  spirit  of  heavenly 
peace  and  consolation,  —  an  aria  of  almost  matchless 
purity,  beauty,  and  grace.  Firmly  and  with  a  certain 
sort  of  majestic  severity  follows  the  chorus  ("  He  that 
shall  endure  to  the  end  ").  The  next  scene  is  one  of  the 
most  impressive  and  dramatic  in  the  oratorio.  Elijah  no 
longer  prays  for  death ;  he  longs  for  the  divine  presence. 
He  hears  the  voice  of  the  angel  ("  Arise  now,  get  thee 
without,  stand  on  the  mount  before  the  Lord ;  for  there 
His  glory  will  appear  and  shine  on  thee.  Thy  face  must 
be  veiled,  for  He  draweth  near").  With  great  and  sud- 
den strength  the  chorus  announces,  "  Behold  !  God  the 
Lord  passed  by."  With  equal  suddenness  it  drops  to  a 


MENDELSSOHN  319 

pianissimo,  gradually  worked  up  in  a  crescendo  movement, 
and  we  hear  the  winds  "  rending  the  mountains  around ;  " 
but  once  more  in  pianissimo  it  tells  us  "  the  Lord  was 
not  in  the  tempest."  The  earthquake  and  the  fire  pass 
by,  each  treated  in  a  similar  manner;  but  the  Lord  was 
not  in  those  elements.  Then,  in  gentle  tones  of  ineffable 
sweetness,  it  declares,  "After  the  fire  there  came  a  still, 
small  voice,  .  .  .  and  in  that  still,  small  voice  onward 
came  the  Lord ; "  and  onward  sings  the  chorus  in  low, 
sweet,  ravishing  tones  to  the  end  ("  The  seraphim  above 
Him  cried  one  to  the  other,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  God  the 
Lord!") — a  double  chorus  of  majestic  proportions. 
Once  more  Elijah  goes  on  his  way,  no  longer  dejected, 
but  clothed  with  "  the  strength  of  the  Lord."  His  aria 
("  For  the  mountains  shall  depart ")  prepares  us  for  the 
final  climax.  In  strong  accents  the  chorus  announce, 
"  Then  did  Elijah  the  prophet  break  forth  like  a  fire ; 
his  words  were  like  burning  torches ;  he  overthrew  kings ; 
he  stood  on  Sinai  and  heard  the  vengeance  of  the  future 
on  Horeb."  Then  comes  a  significant  pause.  The 
basses  begin  "  And  when  the  Lord  would  take  him 
away ; "  another  brief  pause,  and  the  full  chorus  pictures 
in  vivid  color  the  coming  of  the  fiery  chariot  and  the 
whirlwind  by  which  he  was  caught  up  into  heaven.  One 
more  tenor  aria  ("  Then,  then  shall  the  righteous  shine  ") 
and  a  brief  soprano  solo  introduce  the  chorus  ("  Behold  my 
servant ").  A  beautiful  quartette  ("  Oh  !  come,  every  one 
that  thirsteth  ")  follows,  and  the  massive  fugue  ("  And 
then  shall  your  light  break  forth  as  the  light  of  the 
morning  ")  closes  this  great  masterpiece. 


MOZART 

1756-1791 

THE  REQUIEM 

MOZART'S  "Requiem"  was  written  in  Vienna  in 
1791,  and  was  left  in  an  unfinished  state  by  the 
composer,  who  made  suggestions  and  gave  instructions  as 
to  its  completion  even  upon  his  death-bed  ;  it  was  literally 
his  swan  song.  No  work  by  any  composer  has  given  rise 
to  more  romantic  stories  or  more  bitter  discussion.  It 
was  long  the  popular  belief  that  the  "  Requiem "  was 
commissioned  by  a  dark,  mysterious  stranger,  whose  ap- 
pearance impressed  Mozart  with  the  conviction  that  he 
was  a  messenger  of  death ;  more  than  this,  that  he  him- 
self had  been  poisoned,  and  that  he  was  writing  his  own 
death-song,  upon  the  order  of  some  supernatural  power. 
It  is  now  known  his  suspicions  were  only  the  outcome  of 
his.  morbid  condition.  Mozart's  widow,  after  his  death, 
fearing  that  she  might  have  to  refund  the  money 
advanced  for  the  work,  induced  Siissmayer,  who  was 
thoroughly  familiar  with  Mozart's  ideas,  to  complete  it. 
He  did  so,  kept  a  copy,  and  after  completion  published 
it ;  and  in  a  letter  to  the  publishers  set  up  a  claim  to  the 
instrumentation  of  the  "  Requiem,"  "  Kyrie,"  "  Dies  Irae," 
and  "  Domine,"  and  to  the  whole  of  the  "  Sanctus," 
"  Benedictus,"  and  "  Agnus  Dei."  The  publication  of 
Siissmayer's  letter  provoked  a  controversy  which  has  raged 
from  that  day  to  this.  The  ablest  critics  and  musicians  in 
Europe  have  taken  part  in  it.  Nearly  all  of  them  have 
defended  Mozart's  authorship ;  but  after  half  a  century's 


MOZART  321 

discussion  it  still  remains  in  doubt  how  far  Siissmayer 
participated  in  the  completion  of  the  work  as  it  now 
stands. 

After  an  introduction,  which  gives  out  the  subject  of 
the  opening  movement,  —  a  slow,  mournful,  solemn  theme, 
—  the  first  number  begins  with  the  impressive  strain 
"  Requiem  aeternam  dona  eis,"  which  gradually  bright- 
ens in  the  phrase  "  Et  lux  perpetua,  "  and  reaches  a 
splendid  burst  of  exultation  in  the  "Te  decet  hymnus." 
After  a  repetition  of  the  "  Requiem  geternam,"  the 
number  closes  with  the  "  Kyrie  eleison,"  a  slow  and 
complicated  fugue,  which  is  sublime  in  its  effect,  though 
very  sombre  in  color,  as  befits  the  subject. 

The  next  number  is  the  "  Dies  Irae,"  written  for  chorus 
in  simple  counterpoint,  and  very  dramatic  in  its  character, 
the  orchestral  part  being  constantly  vigorous,  impetuous, 
and  agitated,  and  reaching  intense  energy  on  the  verse 
"  Quantus  tremor  est  futurus,"  the  whole  presenting  a 
vivid  picture  in  tones  of  the  terrors  of  the  last  judgment. 
In  the  "  Tuba  mirum  "  the  spirit  of  the  music  changes 
from  the  church  form  to  the  secular.  It  is  written  for 
solo  voices,  ending  in  a  quartette.  The  bass  begins  with 
the  "Tuba  minim,"  set  to  a  portentous  trombone  ac- 
companiment ;  then  follow  the  tenor  ("  Mors  stupebit "), 
the  alto  ("Judex  ergo"),  and  the  soprano  ("Quid  sum 
miser").  This  number  is  particularly  remarkable  for  the 
manner  in  which  the  music  is  shaded  down  from  the 
almost  supernatural  character  of  the  opening  bass  solo  to 
the  beauty  and  sweetness  of  the  soprano  solo.  From  this 
extraordinary  group  we  pass  to  the  sublime  chorus  "  Rex 
tremendae  majestatis,"  once  more  in  the  church  style, 
which  closes  with  the  prayer  "  Salva  me,"  in  canonical 
form.  With  rare  skill  is  this  last  appeal  of  humanity 
woven  out  of  the  thunder-crashes  of  sound  in  the  judgment- 
music. 

21 


322     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

The  "  Dies  Iras "  is  followed  by  the  "  Recordare," 
written,  like  the  "Tuba  mirum,"  as  a  quartette  for  solo 
voices.  The  vocal  parts  are  in  canon  form  and  are  com- 
bined with  marvellous  skill,  relieved  here  and  there  with 
solos  in  purely  melodic  style,  as  in  the  "  Quaerens  me," 
while  the  orchestral  part  is  an  independent  fugue,  with 
several  subjects  worked  up  with  every  form  of  instru- 
mental embellishment,  the  fugue  itself  sometimes  relieved 
by  plain  accompaniment.  The  whole  is  an  astonishing 
piece  of  contrapuntal  skill,  apparently  inexhaustible  in  its 
scientific  combinations,  and  yet  never  for  an  instant 
losing  its  deep  religious  significance.  Once  more  the 
orchestral  part  is  full  of  agitation  and  even  savage  energy 
in  the  "  Confutatis  maledictis,"  as  it  accompanies  a 
powerful  .double  chorus,  closing  at  last  in  a  majestic 
prayer  ("Oro  supplex  et  acclinis"),  in  which  all  the 
voices  join  in  magnificent  harmony. 

The  "  Lacrymosa "  is  the  most  elegant  and  poetically 
conceived  movement  in  the  "  Requiem."  It  begins  in  a 
delicate,  graceful,  and  even  sensuous  manner,  which  grad- 
ually broadens  and  strengthens,  and  at  last  develops  into 
a  crescendo  of  immense  power,  reaching  its  climax  on  the 
words  "  Judicandus  homo  reus."  Then  it  changes  to  a 
plaintive  prayer  ("  Huic  ergo  parce  Deus  "),  and  closes  in 
a  cloud  of  gloom  in  the  "  Dona  eis  requiem."  The 
next  number  ("  Domine  Jesu  Christe  ")  is  in  pure  church 
form,  beginning  with  a  motet  by  chorus  in  solid  harmony, 
which  runs  into  a  fugue  on  the  words  "  Ne  absorbeat 
eas  Tartarus,"  followed  by  a  quartette  of  voices  regularly 
fugued,  leading  to  another  great  fugue  on  the  passage 
"  Quam  olim  Abrahse,"  which  closes  the  number  in  a 
burst  of  sacred  inspiration.  The  "  Domine  "  is  followed 
by  the  "  Hostias,"  a  lovely  choral  melody  which  leads  to 
the  "  Sanctus,"  a  sublime  piece  of  harmony  closing  with  a 
fugued  "  Hosanna."  The  "  Benedictus,"  which  follows  it, 


WOLFGANG  MOZART 


MOZART  323 

is  a  solo  quartette,  plaintive  and  solemn  in  character,  but  full 
of  sweet  and  rich  melodies  magnificently  accompanied. 

The  "  Agnus  Dei "  closes  the  work,  a  composition  of 
profound  beauty,  with  an  accompaniment  of  mournful 
majesty,  developing  into  a  solemn,  almost  funereal  strain 
on  the  words  "  Dona  eis  requiem,"  and  closing  with 
the  fugue  of  the  opening  "  Kyrie "  on  the  words  "  Lux 
aeterna."  "  Written  under  the  inspiration  of  death " 
might  well  be  inscribed  on  this  great  monument  of  musical 
skill,  this  matchless  requiem  of  awful  majesty  and  divine 
beauty. 

SYMPHONY  No.  543  (KocHEL1),  IN  E  FLAT 

1.  ADAGIO.    ALLEGRETTO. 

2.  ANDANTE. 

3.  MINUET  AND  TRIO.    ALLEGRETTO. 

4.  FINALE.    ALLEGRO. 

The  Symphony  in  E  flat  is  the  first  of  the  three  great 
works  of  its  class  composed  by  Mozart  in  the  year  1788. 
It  was  written  at  a  time  when  he  was  in  sore  financial 
straits,  and  yet  breathes  the  very  spirit  of  joy  and  gaiety 
throughout,  except  in  the  Andante  movement.  It  is  an 
extraordinary  proof  of  his  marvellous  powers  of  creation 
that  while  he  was  writing  minuets,  waltzes,  and  other 
music  for  the  court  balls  at  Vienna  to  obtain  the  means  of 
subsistence,  besides  many  pieces  of  a  more  important 
character,  he  found  time  between  the  twenty-sixth  of  June 
and  tenth  of  August  to  compose  the  three  greatest  sym- 
phonies of  his  forty-nine,  —  the  E  flat,  G  minor,  and  C, 
Jupiter,  and  the  last  three  of  the  series,  for  after  the 
Jupiter  no  more  works  of  this  kind  came  from  his  facile 
pen.  The  E  flat  is  inscribed  by  him  June  26,  1788,  but 
it  was  probably  written  between  the  seventeenth  and 

1  Numbered  from  Kochel's  "  Theme  Catalogue." 


324     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

twenty-sixth  of  that  month.  Though  not  constructed 
upon  so  grand  a  scale  as  its  two  associates,  it  is  charac- 
terized by  remarkable  beauty  and  felicity  of  expression, 
and  is  familiarly  known  as  "The  Swan  Song." 

The  symphony  opens  with  a  short  Adagio  built  up  on 
solid  chords  by  the  whole  orchestra,  with  intervening  scale 
passages  for  the  first  violins,  and  subsequently  for  the 
second  violins  and  basses,  leading  up  to  the  Allegro, 
which  is  introduced  by  the  following  restful  and  melodi- 
ous theme  :  — 


first  announced  by  the  violins,  and  on  the  repeat  given 
over  to  the  basses.  The  second  theme  is  a  cantabile 
melody  of  equal  beauty  and  grace,  divided  between  the 
violins  and  clarinets.  The  development  of  the  movement 
is  short,  and  the  second  theme  is  mainly  used  in  associa- 
tion with  a  phrase  at  first  employed  as  an  accompaniment. 
The  Andante  movement  is  principally  based  upon  the 
following  theme  :  — 


given  out  by  the  strings,  which  leads  up  to  a  second 
theme  of  more  serious  character.  The  second  part  begins 
with  a  passionate,  almost  impetuous  theme,  at  the  close 


MOZART 


325 


of  which  there  is  a  genuine  harmonic  display  in  which  the 
bassoons  play  a  very  characteristic  part. 
The  Minuet  opens  thus  cheerfully  :  — 


J. 


The  Trio  sung  by  the  first  clarinet,  the  second  playing 
an  arpeggio  accompaniment,  is  one  of  those  lovely  pas- 
sages, lovely  in  its  very  simplicity,  which  are  so  charac- 
teristic of  Mozart. 

In  the  Finale  the  composer  gives  free  rein  to  his  humor 
and  fancy,  as  well  as  to  his  skill  in  development.  It 
opens  with  the  following  theme :  — 


which  is  fairly  fascinating  by  its  sportive  and  tantalizing 
mood.  The  second  theme  is  so  similar  in  character  as  to 
amount  to  little  more  than  an  emphasis  of  the  first,  and 
seems  to  have  been  introduced  to  give  more  room  for  the 
merry  thoughts  of  the  composer,  which  are  expressed  in 
bewildering  variety  of  development.  The  themes  them- 
selves count  for  little  as  compared  with  the  fanciful, 
elaborate  structure  of  which  they  are  the  foundation. 
The  Finale  in  fact  is  a  very  carnival  of  gaiety  and 
sunshine. 


326     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 


SYMPHONY  No.  550  (KOCHEL),  IN  G  MINOR 

1.  ALLEGRO  MOLTO.     3.  MINUET  AND  TRIO.    ALLEGRO. 

2.  ANDANTE.  4.   FINALE.    ALLEGO  ASSAI. 

In  Mozart's  autograph  catalogue  the  symphony  in  G 
minor  is  set  down  as  written  July  25,  1788,  which  refers 
probably  to  the  day  of  completion.  As  the  E  flat  was 
finished  June  26,  it  is  evident  that  it  was  composed  be- 
tween these  two  dates.  Of  the  sixteen  symphonies  written 
between  1773  and  1788  this  is  the  only  one  in  the  minor 
key,  and  from  this  fact  many  authorities  have  attributed 
to  it  an  expression  of  sorrow.  It  has  always  been  a  great 
favorite  with  composers.  Schubert  said  :  "  You  can  hear 
the  angels  singing  in  it."  Mendelssohn  held  it  in  high 
esteem ;  and  there  is  a  report  that  Beethoven  scored  it 
over  for  orchestra  from  a  piano  edition,  though  the  score 
has  never  been  found.  Mozart  himself  was  very  fond  of 
it,  and  after  its  first  performance  made  a  second  score, 
adding  two  clarinets  to  the  oboes,  and  making  other 
changes  to  suit  the  new  arrangement. 

Without  the  Adagio,  which  was  customary  at  that  time, 
or  any  attempt  to  call  the  attention  of  the  hearers,  the 
first  movement  begins  at  once  with  the  principal  theme,  — 


m 


m 


followed  by  a  new  theme  which  is  afterward  employed  in 
the  most  elaborate  fashion.  Then  follows  an  exquisite 
melody,  — 


MOZART 


327 


Viola. 


Oboe. 


?  r  •  "r  ["r 


answered  in  the  basses  by 


^ 


In  the  second  part  the  principal  theme  is  broken  up 
into  bits,  shaken  about  in  true  kaleidoscopic  fashion,  and 
transparent  at  every  turn,  thus  increasing  its  beauty. 

The  Andante  is  not  based  on  a  long  cantilena,  like 
most  of  his  Adagios,  but  betrays  rather  a  restless  spirit  by 
the  short  groups  which  are  thrown  from  the  instruments. 
The  gem  of  the  melody  appears  at  the  opening  in  the 
bass  — 


The  Minuet,  Allegro,  opens  with :  — 


The  stubborn  syncopation  is  enforced  at  the  beginning  of 
the  second  part  in  the  following  manner :  — 


r    f f tit 


-*—    -"* 


328     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

and  we  easily  realize  that  poor  Mozart  feels  out  of  sorts  ; 
but  the  cloud  soon  passes,  and  in  the  Trio  he  smiles  again, 
and  dismisses  his  "  blues  "  with  a  joke  :  — 


The  Finale,  Allegro  assai,  is  a  work  of  such  marvellous 
skill  that,  while  the  musical  student  can  alone  appreciate 
the  genius  of  the  master  by  close  study  of  the  score,  yet 
the  listener  never  is  oppressed  by  its  intricacies.  All  is 
clear,  beautiful,  and  full  of  life  and  energy  from  the 
opening  phrase, 


which  embodies  the  character  of  the  whole  movement,  to 
the  last  note.  Mozart  reared  this  monument  of  orchestral 
writing  with  the  modest  means  of  what  would  nowa- 
days be  called  a  small  orchestra,  consisting,  besides  the 
string  quartette,  of  two  horns,  a  flute,  two  clarinets,  two 
oboes,  and  two  bassoons. 


SYMPHONY  No.  551   (KOCHEL),  IN  C  (JUPITER) 

1.  ALLEGRO  VIVACE. 

2.  ANDANTE  CANTABILE. 

3.  MINUET  AND  TRIO.    ALLEGRETTO. 

4.  FINALE.    ALLEGRO  MOLTO. 

Among  all  the  symphonies  of  Mozart  not  one  can  equal 
the  dignity,  loftiness,  and  skill  of  the  symphony  in  C,  the 
last  from  his  pen,  which  by  common  consent,  as  it  were, 
has  been  christened  the  "Jupiter,"  both  as  compared 
with  his  other  symphonies  and  with  the  symphonic  works 


MOZART 


329 


of  other  composers  before  Beethoven  appeared  with  his 
wonderful  series.  It  was  composed  within  a  period  of 
fifteen  days,  and  completed  August  10,  1788. 

It  has  no  introduction,  but  begins  at  once  with  the  prin- 
cipal theme  of  the  Allegro,  which  is  constructed  upon  two 
subjects,  —  the  first  strong  and  bold  in  character  at  times, 
and  again  restful ;  and  the  second  gay,  even  to  the  verge 
of  hilarity.  The  first  theme  is  as  follows :  — 


The  second  theme,  which  is  full  of  genuine  Gemuth- 
lichkeit,  is  given  out  by  the  strings,  and  its  hilarity  is  in- 
tensified by  the  following  episode,  which  dominates  the 
whole  movement,  so  far  as  its  expression  is  concerned :  — 


The  Andante  is  highly  expressive.  The  materials  which 
compose  it  are  exquisite  melodies  whose  beauty,  especially 
that  of  the  first,  with  muted  violins,  must  appeal  even  to 
the  dullest  ear.  The  opening  theme  is  as  follows :  — 


330     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 


After  a  repetition  of  four  bars  by  the  basses  a  new 
melody  appears  for  the  bassoons,  which  leads  up  to  the 
second  theme,  given  out  by  the  oboes  and  full  of  rest  and 
contentment.  A  charming  coda  brings  the  beautiful  first 
part  of  the  movement  to  its  close.  The  second  is  devoted 
to  the  contrapuntal  development  of  all  this  melodious 
material,  which  is  accomplished  with  marvellous  skill,  and 
at  the  close  returns  to  the  original  key  and  melody. 

The  Minuet  is  one  of  the  happiest  and  most  charming 
of  all  his  numbers  in  this  rhythm.  There  is  a  swing,  an 
elasticity  of  movement,  at  once  light  and  free,  and  a 
gaiety  and  freshness  which  belong  almost  exclusively  to 
Mozart.  It  begins  with  the  following  theme  :  — 


The  trio  is  in  the  same  key,  and  is  equally  happy  in 
its  expression  of  naivett  and  cheerful  humor. 

The  Finale  is  the  masterpiece  of  the  symphony.  In 
combinations  of  the  most  astonishing  contrapuntal  skill 
with  freedom  of  movement  it  will  always  remain  a  monu- 
ment to  the  genius  and  knowledge  of  the  composer.  It 
almost  seems  as  if  in  this  last  movement  of  his  last  sym- 
phony Mozart  desired  to  give  to  the  world  an  immortal 
legacy  which  should  forever  bear  witness  to  the  greatness 


MOZART 


33* 


of  his  musical  name.  It  is  built  up  on  four  themes  de- 
veloped in  fugal  treatment.  Colossal  figures  of  counter- 
point are  combined  with  the  most  graceful  motives,  each 
thoroughly  individual  in  character  and  all  fitted  together 
in  every  variety  of  union,  but  never  at  the  sacrifice  of  that 
grace  and  fancy  for  which  Mozart  is  so  conspicuous.  The 
first  theme  is  an  old  church-music  phrase  which  was  a 
favorite  with  him  :  — 


The  second  theme  is  announced  at  once  :  — 


At  its  close  the  first  is  treated  as  a  five-part  fugue,  after 
which  the  third  theme  appears  on  the  violins  :  — 


r  f   fir' 


The  fourth  theme  enters  in  graceful  fashion :  — 


These  are  the  materials  which  Mozart  elaborates  with 
marvellous  skill.     As  the  development  proceeds  he  inverts 


332     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

the  second  theme,  giving  a  fresh  melodic  subject,  which 
enters  into  the  combination  as  clearly  and  individually  as 
its  companions.  Thus  on  into  the  coda,  which  again  re- 
veals the  masterly  skill  of  the  composer  and  the  ease  with 
which  he  treated  the  most  intricate  contrapuntal  difficul- 
ties. It  is  not  necessary  to  follow  the  progress  in  detail, 
for  in  spite  of  all  its  .complications  the  movement  will 
always  commend  itself  to  the  hearer  by  its  smooth,  flowing 
character,  showing  that  however  difficult  these  ingenious 
and  elaborate  contrivances  may  seem  they  did  not  exist  as 
difficulties  to  the  composer,  but  were  only  used  as  sym- 
bols to  express  the  glowing,  animated  picture  which  occu- 
pied his  thoughts.  That  picture  was  one  of  human  life  in 
its  most  powerful,  active,  and  dignified  phases. 


PAINE 

1839  -  J9°6 
CEDIPUS  TYRANNUS 

THE  first  public  performance  of  the  "(Edipus  Ty- 
rannus  "  of  Sophocles  in  America  was  given  at  the 
Sanders  Theatre  (Harvard  College),  Cambridge,  Mass., 
May  17,  1 88 1,  for  which  occasion  Mr.  Paine  composed  the 
music  incidental  to  the  world-famous  tragedy.  The  per- 
formance was  a  memorable  one  in  many  ways.  The 
tragedy  was  given  in  the  original  language.  It  was  the 
first  event  of  the  kind  in  America.  The  audience  was 
a  representative  one  in  culture,  education,  and  social 
brilliancy. 

The  story  of  the  Theban  hero,  his  ignorance  of  his  own 
parentage,  his  dismay  at  the  revelation  of  the  oracle  that 
he  would  kill  his  father  and  marry  his  mother,  his  quarrel 
with  the  former,  resulting  in  the  very  tragedy  he  was  seek- 
ing to  avoid,  his  solution  of  the  riddle  of  the  Sphinx,  the 
reward  of  the  Queen's  hand  which  Creon  had  promised, 
leading  to  the  unfortunate  marriage  with  his  mother,  Jo- 
casta,  thus  completing  the  revelation  of  the  oracle,  does 
not  need  description  in  detail.  The  marriage  was  followed 
by  a  pestilence  that  wasted  Thebes,  and  at  this  point  the 
plot  of  the  drama  begins.  It  concerns  itself  with  the 
efforts  of  QEdipus  to  unravel  the  mystery  of  the  death  of 
his  father,  Laius,  which  leads  to  the  discovery  that  he  him- 
self was  the  murderer,  and  that  he  had  been  guilty  of  incest 
with  his  own  mother.  Jocasta  hangs  herself,  and  CEdipus, 


334     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

rushing  frantically  into  the  palace,  beholds  her,  and,  over- 
whelmed with  horror  at  the  sight  and  the  fulfilment  of  the 
oracle,  seizes  her  brooch-pin  and  blinds  himself.  In  the 
"  CEdipus  at  Colonos  "  the  sequel  is  told.  The  hero  dies 
in  the  gardens  of  the  Eumenides,  happy  in  the  love  of  his 
daughters  and  the  pardon  which  fate  grants  him. 

The  music  to  the  tragedy  is  thoroughly  classical  in  spirit, 
and  has  all  the  nobility,  breadth,  dignity,  and  grace  char- 
acteristic of  the  Greek  idea.  The  principal  lyric  move- 
ments of  the  chorus,  the  choral  odes,  of  which  there  are 
six,  comprise  the  scheme  of  the  composer.  The  melodra- 
matic practice  of  the  orchestra  accompanying  spoken  dia- 
logue only  appears  to  a  limited  extent  in  the  third  ode ; 
and  the  chorus,  as  narrator,  is  accompanied  by  music  only 
in  the  last  seven  lines  of  the  play,  which  form  the  postlude. 
The  orchestral  introduction,  which  is  treated  in  a  skilful 
and  scholarly  manner,  epitomizes  the  spirit  of  the  work. 
The  odes  are  divided  as  usual  into  strophes  and  antistro- 
phes,  assigned  alternately  to  a  male  chorus  of  fifteen  and 
full  chorus.  The  first  ("  Oracle,  sweet-tongued  of  Zeus  "), 
which  has  the  genuine  antique  dignity  and  elevation,  is  a 
description  of  the  sufferings  of  the  people  from  the  pesti- 
lence which  has  wasted  Thebes  since  the  unnatural  mar- 
riage of  CEdipus  and  Jocasta,  and  a  fervent  prayer  to  the 
gods  for  aid.  The  second  ("  Thou  Delphic  rock,  who 
can  he  be?")  concludes  the  scene  where  the  blind 
prophet  Tiresias  arrives  upon  the  summons  of  Creon  and 
accuses  GEdipus  of  the  crime,  accompanying  the  accusation 
with  dark  hints  of  further  guilt.  In  this  ode,  which  is  spe- 
cially noticeable  for  its  rich  and  graceful  treatment,  the 
chorus  expresses  its  disbelief  of  the  charges.  In  the  third 
scene  Creon  enters  to  protest  against  the  accusations  of 
CEdipus,  but  a  quarrel  ensues  between  them,  which  results 
in  the  menace  of  death  to  the  former.  Jocasta  appears, 
and  upon  her  intercession  Creon  is  allowed  to  depart.  In 


PAINE  335 

the  ode  the  chorus  joins  in  this  appeal  to  QEdipus,  —  a 
strong,  vigorous  number,  the  effect  of  which  is  heightened  by 
the  intervening  spoken  parts  of  Creon,  QEdipus,  and  Jocasta, 
with  musical  accompaniment.  The  fourth  ode  ("  Oh,  may 
my  life  be  spent  in  virtue  ")  is  a  vigorous  denunciation 
of  the  impiety  of  Jocasta  in  speaking  scornfully  of  the 
oracles.  The  fifth  ode  ("  If  I  the  prophet's  gift  possess  ") 
is  full  of  idyllic  grace  and  sweetness,  realizing  in  a  remark- 
able degree  the  old  Grecian  idea  of  sensuous  beauty.  It 
is  a  speculation  upon  the  divine  origin  of  CEdipus,  after 
the  messenger  relates  the  story  of  the  King's  exposure  in 
his  childhood  upon  Mount  Cithaeron,  and  contains  a 
charming  tenor  solo.  The  last  ode  ("  O  race  of  mortal 
men !  ")  bewails  the  vicissitudes  of  fortune,  and  is  full  of 
the  tragic  significance  of  impending  fate.  The  work  comes 
to  a  close  with  the  postlude  ("  Ye  who  dwell  in  Thebes 
our  city,  fix  on  CEdipus  your  eyes  "). 

THE  NATIVITY 

The  text  of  "  The  Nativity,"  for  chorus,  solo  voices,  and 
orchestra,  is  taken  from  the  hymn  in  Milton's  ode  "  On 
the  Morning  of  Christ's  Nativity,"  and  is  composed  in 
three  parts.  After  a  short  instrumental  introduction, 
which  works  up  to  an  effective  climax,  the  cantata  begins 
with  a  chorus  ("  It  was  the  Winter  wild  "),  introduced  by 
the  soprano,  developing  to  full  harmony  at  the  words 
"Nature  in  awe  to  Him,"  and  closing  pianissimo.  After 
a  short  soprano  solo  ("  But  He  her  fears  to  cease  ")  the 
chorus  resumes  ("With  turtle  wing  the  amorous  clouds 
dividing "').  A  succession  of  choral  passages  follows,  ad- 
mirably suggestive  of  the  sentiment  of  the  poem,  —  a  vig- 
orous, stirring  allegro,  "No  war  or  battle's  sound  was 
heard  the  world  around ; "  "  And  kings  sat  still  with 
awful  eye,"  broadly  and  forcibly  written;  and  a  tender, 


336     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

graceful  number,  "  But  peaceful  was  the  night."  They 
are  followed  by  another  soprano  solo  ("And  though  the 
shady  gloom "),  full  of  brightness  and  animation,  which 
leads  directly  to  a  majestic  chorus  ("  He  saw  a  greater  sun 
appear"),  which  closes  the  first  part. 

The  second  part,  a  quartette  and  chorus,  is  pastoral  in 
character,  and  reflects  the  idyllic  quiet  and  beauty  of  the 
text.  The  quartette  ("  The  shepherds  on  the  lawn  ")  is  in- 
troduced by  short  tenor,  bass,  and  alto  solos,  and  also  con- 
tains a  melodious  and  graceful  solo  for  soprano  ("  When 
such  music  sweet  their  hearts  and  ears  did  greet "),  after 
which  the  full  quartette  leads  up  to  a  vigorous  chorus  ("  The 
air  such  pleasure  loath  to  lose  ")  closing  the  part. 

The  third  part  is  choral,  and  forms  an  effective  climax 
to  the  work.  It  opens  with  the  powerful  chorus  ("  Ring 
out,  ye  crystal  spheres  "),  emphasized  by  the  organ  bass 
with  stately  effect,  and  moves  on  majestically  to  the 
close. 

THE  REALM  OF  FANCY 

"The  Realm  of  Fancy"  is  a  short  cantata,  the  music 
set  to  Keats's  familiar  poem  "  Ever  let  the  Fancy  roam." 
With  the  exception  of  a  dozen  lines,  the  dainty  poem  is 
used  entire,  and  is  set  to  music  with  a  keen  appreciation  of 
its  graceful  beauty.  A  short  allegretto  fancifully  trips  along 
to  the  opening  chorus  ("  Ever  let  the  fancy  roam  "),  which 
is  admirable  for  its  shifting  play  of  musical  color.  A  so- 
prano solo  ("  She  will  bring  in  spite  of  frost  "),  followed 
by  a  very  expressive  barytone  solo  ("Thou  shalt  at  a 
glance  behold  the  daisy  and  the  marigold  "),  leads  up  to 
a  charming  little  chorus  ("  Shaded  hyacinth,  always  sap- 
phire queen  ").  A  short  instrumental  passage,  in  the  time 
of  the  opening  allegretto,  introduces  the  final  chorus  ("  O 
sweet  fancy,  let  her  loose  "),  charmingly  worked  up,  and 
closing  in  canon  form. 


JOHN  K    PAINE 


PAINE  337 

"PHCEBUS,  ARISE" 

Mr.  Paine's  ripe  scholarship  is  shown  to  admirable  ad- 
vantage in  his  selection  of  the  poem  "  Phoebus,  Arise," 
from  among  the  lyrics  of  the  old  Scottish  poet,  William 
Drummond,  of  Hawthornden,  and  the  characteristic  old- 
style  setting  he  has  given  to  it.  Like  "The  Realm  of 
Fancy,"  it  is  quite  short;  but  like  that  cantata,  also,  it 
illustrates  the  versatility  oT  his  talent  and  the  happy  man- 
ner in  which  he  preserves  the  characteristics  of  the  poem 
in  his  music.  Drummond,  who  has  been  called  "the 
Scottish  Petrarch,"  and  whose  poems  were  so  celebrated 
that  even  Ben  Jonson  could  find  it  in  his  way  to  visit  him, 
was  noted  for  the  grace  and  lightness  of  his  verse,  and  the 
pensive  cast  with  which  it  was  tinged.  It  has  little  of  the 
modern  poetic  style,  and  the  composer  has  clothed  his 
poem  in  a  musical  garb  to  correspond. 

The  cantata  is  written  for  tenor  solo,  male  chorus,  and 
orchestra,  and  opens  with  a  brilliant  chorus  ("  Phoebus, 
arise,  and  paint  the  sable  skies  with  azure,  white,  and 
red  "),  closing  with  a  crescendo  in  the  old  style.  An  ex- 
pressive and  somewhat  pensive  tenor  solo  follows  ("  This 
is  that  happy  morn  ").  A  short  choral  passage  with  tenor 
solo  (  "  Fair  king,  who  all  preserves  ")  leads  to  a  full,  rich 
chorus  ("  Now,  Flora,  deck  thyself  in  fairest  guise "). 
In  the  next  number  the  chorus  returns  to  the  opening 
theme  ("  Phoebus,  arise  "),  and  develops  it  with  constantly 
increasing  power  to  the  close. 

SAINT  PETER 

"  Saint  Peter,"  Mr.  Paine's  only  oratorio,  —  and  from 
the  highest  standpoint  it  may  be  said  the  only  oratorio  yet 
produced  in  this  country, — was  written  in  1872-73,  and 
first  performed  at  Portland,  Maine,  in  June  of  the  latter 


338     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

year,  under  the  composer's  own  direction.  The  solos  were 
sung  by  Mrs.  Wetherbee,  Miss  Adelaide  Phillipps,  Mr. 
George  L.  Osgood,  and  Mr.  Rudolphsen.  It  was  again 
produced  with  great  success  at  the  third  Triennial  Festi- 
val of  the  Boston  Handel  and  Haydn  Society,  May  9, 
1874,  with  Mrs.  J.  Houston  West,  Mr.  Nelson  Varley, 
Miss  Phillipps,  and  Mr.  Rudolphsen  in  the  principal  parts. 
The  establishment  of  Christianity,  illustrated  by  the  four 
principal  scenes  in  the  life  of  Saint  Peter,  forms  the  subject 
of  the  oratorio.  It  is  divided  into  two  parts,  and  these 
are  subdivided  as  follows  :  Part  I,  The  Divine  Call ;  The 
Denial  and  Repentance.  Part  II,  The  Ascension  ;  Pente- 
cost. The  overture,  a  short  adagio  movement  expressive 
of  the  unsettled  spiritual  condition  of  the  world  prior  to 
the  advent  of  Christianity,  leads  directly  to  the  opening 
chorus  ("The  time  is  fulfilled"),  which  develops  not 
only  this  subject,  but  also  a  second  ("  Repent,  and  believe 
the  glad  tidings  of  God"),  in  a  masterly  manner.  The 
chorus,  written  in  noble  style,  is  followed  by  the  tenor 
recitative,  which  describes  the  divine  call  of  our  Lord  to 
Simon  and  Andrew  as  "  He  walked  by  the  Sea  of  Galilee." 
It  prepares  the  way  for  a  soprano  aria  ("  The  spirit  of  the 
Lord  is  upon  rne  ")  which  announces  the  glad  tidings  they 
are  commissioned  to  deliver.  Twelve  male  voices,  repre- 
senting the  disciples,  accept  the  call  in  the  chorus  ("  We 
go  before  the  face  of  the  Lord  "),  which  is  beautifully  ac- 
companied by  and  interwoven  with  the  full  chorus,  closing 
with  the  smoothly  flowing  'chorale  ("  How  lovely  shines 
the  morning  star  !  ").  Then  ensues  the  first  dramatic  scene. 
To  the  question  of  the  Saviour  "  Who  do  men  say  that  I 
am  ?  "  the  twelve  male  voices  first  reply,  followed  by  Peter 
in  a  few  bars  of  very  effective  recitative,  "  Thou  art  the 
Christ."  A  tenor  arioso,  declaring  the  foundation  of  the 
Church  "  upon  this  rock,"  is  followed  by  a  noble  and  ex- 
quisitely chaste  bass  aria  for  Peter  ("  My  heart  is  glad  and 


PAINE  339 

my  spirit  rejoiceth  "),  the  scene  ending  with  the  powerful 
chorus  ("  The  church  is  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the 
Apostles  and  prophets  ").  The  next  scene  (  The  Denial 
and  Repentance)  opens  with  the  warning  to  Peter  that 
he  will  deny  his  Lord,  and  his  remonstrance  ("  Though  I 
should  die  with  Thee  "),  which  is  repeated  by  the  Apostles. 
These  brief  passages  are  followed  by  a  pathetic  aria  for 
tenor  ("  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled  ")  and  a  beauti- 
fully worked-up  quartette  and  chorus  ("  Sanctify  us  through 
Thy  truth  ").  A  contralto  solo  announces  the  coming  of 
"Judas  with  a  great  multitude,"  leading  Jesus  away  to  the 
High  Priest,  and  is  followed  by  the  expressive  chorus, 
"  We  hid  our  faces  from  Him."  The  scene  of  the  de- 
nial is  dramatic,  the  alternating  accusations  of  the  servants 
and  the  denials  of  Peter  being  treated  with  great  skill; 
and  closes  with  an  effective  contralto  recitative,  illustrating 
the  sad  words :  "  And  while  he  yet  spake,  the  cock  crew. 
And  the  Lord  turned,  and  looked  on  Peter;  and  he 
remembered  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  he  went  out  and 
wept  bitterly."  An  orchestral  interlude  follows,  in  the 
nature  of  a  lament,  a  minor  adagio  full  of  deep  feeling.  It 
is  followed  by  an  aria  for  Peter  ("  O  God,  my  God,  for- 
sake me  not "),  which  is  cast  in  the  same  strain  of  lamen- 
tation as  the  orchestral  number  which  precedes  and  really 
introduces  it.  At  its  close  a  chorus  of  angels,  sopranos 
and  altos  with  harp  accompaniment  ("  Remember,  remem- 
ber from  whence  thou  art  fallen  "),  is  heard  warning  Peter, 
augmented  on  the  introduction  of  the  second  subject 
("And  he  that  overcometh  shall  receive  a  crown  of  life") 
by  the  full  chorus.  This  chorus  is  followed  by  a  beautiful 
aria  for  alto  ("  The  Lord  is  faithful  and  righteous  to  for- 
give our  sins ") ;  and  then  a  massive  chorus,  which  is 
fairly  majestic  ("Awake,  thou  that  sleepest"),  closes  the 
first  part. 

The  second  part  opens  with  a  chorus  ("  The  Son  of 


340     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

Man  was  delivered  into  the  hands  of  sinful  men  "),  which 
tells  the  story  of  the  crucifixion,  not  only  with  great  power, 
but  also  with  intense  pathos,  ending  with  the  chorale 
"Jesus  my  Redeemer  lives,"  which  invests  the  sad  nar- 
rative with  tender  and  consolatory  feeling.  The  ascen- 
sion scene  is  accompanied  by  graceful  and  expressive 
recitatives  for  tenor  and  bass,  followed  by  a  tenor  arioso 
("  Go  ye  and  teach "),  and  a  short  soprano  recitative 
("  And  He  lifted  up  His  hands  "),  leading  to  the  full,  melo- 
dious chorus  "  If  ye  then  be  risen."  The  next  number 
is  an  impressive  soprano  solo  ("  O  Man  of  God  !  "),  in 
which  Peter  is  admonished  "  to  put  on  the  whole  armor 
of  God  and  fight  the  good  fight."  A  beautifully  written 
quartette  ("Feed  the  flock  of  God")  closes  the  scene 
of  the  ascension.  The  last  scene  opens  with  a  tenor  solo 
describing  the  miracle  of  Pentecost,  set  to  an  extremely 
vigorous  and  descriptive  accompaniment.  It  is  followed 
by  the  chorus  "The  voice  of  the  Lord,"  which  is  one 
of  the  most  effective  in  the  whole  work,  though  not  con- 
structed in  the  massive  style  of  those  which  close  the 
two  parts.  A  contralto  recitative  links  this  chorus  to  its 
successor  ("  Behold  !  are  not  all  these  who  speak  Gali- 
leans?"). After  a  brief  soprano  recitative  Peter  has  an- 
other vigorous  solo  ("  Ye  men  of  Judsea  "),  which  is  as 
dramatic  in  its  style  and  almost  as  descriptive  in  its  ac- 
companiment as  the  opening  tenor  solo  of  this  scene.  A 
reflective  aria  for  alto  ("  As  for  man  ")  follows  it,  and  bass 
and  tenor  recitatives  lead  up  to  the  eagerly  questioning 
chorus  of  the  people  ("  Men  and  brethren  ").  The  an- 
swer comes  from  Peter  and  the  Apostles  ("  For  the  prom- 
ise is  to  you  ").  An  intricate  chorus  ("  This  is  the  witness 
of  God  "),  closing  with  a  chorale  ("Praise  to  the  Father  "), 
leads  to  the  Finale,  which  comprises  the  chorus  ("  Beloved, 
let  us  love  one  another  "),  written  for  bass  solo,  tenors, 
and  basses,  the  disciples,  and  full  chorus;  an  effective 


PAINE  341 

duet  for  soprano  and  tenor  ("  Sing  unto  God  ") ;  and  the 
final  majestic  chorus  ("Great  and  marvellous  are  Thy 
works  "). 

THE  TEMPEST 

Professor  Paine's  symphonic  poem,  "The  Tempest," 
illustrative  of  Shakspeare's  play,  was  composed  in  1876, 
and  first  performed  in  New  York  by  the  Thomas  Orchestra 
in  1877.  It  is  written  in  four  connected  movements,  and 
the  clew  to  its  meaning  is  sufficiently  given  in  the  pro- 
gramme which  the  composer  has  furnished.  The  first 
movement,  Allegro  con  fuoco,  in  D  minor,  describes  the 
storm ;  the  second,  Adagio  tranquillo,  in  E  major,  a  calm 
and  happy  scene  before  Prospero's  cell  and  Ariel's  appear- 
ance, the  motives  given  out  by  solo  flute,  clarinet,  and 
harp,  supported  by  the  strings  and  winds ;  the  third,  Al- 
legro moderato  e  maestoso,  in  C  major,  Prospero's  tale ; 
and  the  fourth,  Allegro  ma  non  troppo,  in  D  major,  the 
happy  love  of  Ferdinand  and  Miranda,  and  an  episode 
with  Caliban  solo,  bassoon,  and  Ariel,  flutes,  harps,  clari- 
nets, and  strings,  closing  with  the  triumph  of  Prospero's 
potent  art.  The  work  is  written  in  a  scholarly  manner, 
and  is  not  only  poetically  suggestive,  but  wonderfully  rich 
and  clear  in  its  expression. 

SYMPHONY  No.  2,  IN  A  (SPRING).     OP.  34 

1.  INTRODUCTION.     ADAGIO  SOSTENUTO.     (The  Departure  of 

Winter.)    ALLEGRO  MA  NON  TROPPO.     (The  Awakening  of 
Nature.) 

2.  SCHERZO.    ALLEGRO.    (May  Night  Fantasy.) 

3.  ADAGIO.     (A  Romance  of  Springtime.) 

4.  ALLEGRO  GIOJOSO.     (The  Glory  of  Nature.) 

The  Spring  symphony  was  composed  in  1879-80.  It 
is  a  work  characterized  by  scholarly  dignity  and  purity  of 
style,  as  well  as  by  the  grace  and  freedom  of  its  musical 


342     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

ideas  and  their  adaptation  to  the  expression  of  definite 
programme-music  through  the  medium  of  brilliant  and 
effective  instrumentation.  Altogether,  it  is  by  far  the  most 
important  instrumental  work  yet  produced  by  an  American 
composer. 

The  introduction  is  clearly  typical  of  the  melancholy 
and  frigid  desolation  of  Winter.  It  begins  with  a  suggest- 
ive minor  theme  for  the  tenors  and  'cellos,  the  contrabass 
and  horn  furnishing  the  background.  As  the  harmony  is 
increased  it  grows  grimmer  and  more  agitated  in  tone, 
until  a  tremolo  of  the  strings  makes  way  for  a  melody  for 
the  clarinet,  —  harbinger  of  Spring.  It  is  followed  by  a 
tempestuous  climax.  The  Winter  is  going  out  like  a  lion. 
As  the  storm  subsides  it  gives  place  to  a  pianissimo 
tremolo  of  the  strings  leading  to  a  change  to  the  major 
key.  Spring  has  come.  The  violins  keep  up  their  tremolo, 
as  if  filled  with  anticipations,  when  suddenly  the  principal 
theme  is  given  out  by  the  second  violins  and  'cellos,  soon 
joined  by  the  violins  and  clarinets  in  a  bright  stream  of 
melody,  after  which  the  violins  resume  their  suggestive  epi- 
sode. Fresh  motives,  clear,  cheerful,  and  buoyant  in 
character,  are  introduced,  with  which  the  winter  theme 
strives  in  vain  contention.  Near  the  close  a  sweet  melody 
for  the  violins  occurs,  and  the  Allegro  ends  with  the 
tremolo  taken  at  first  fortissimo  and  gradually  dying  away. 

The  Scherzo  is  entitled  "  May  Night  Fantasy,"  and  well 
answers  to  its  name.  It  opens  with  a  graceful,  airy  theme, 
which  in  its  melodious  progress,  accompanied  by  the  songs 
of  birds  and  the  sounds  of  animated  nature  calling  from 
instrument  to  instrument,  is  a  genuine  bit  of  spring  poetry, 
full  of  gay  color  and  warm,  rich  tone.  The  trio  finely 
contrasts  with  the  tenderness  of  its  cantabile  melody. 

The  Adagio  is  broadly  laid  out.  The  principal  theme 
is  in  sombre  color,  but  poetic  in  its  feeling,  and  tinged 
here  and  there  with  reminiscences  of  the  winter  theme. 


PAINE  343 

It  is  undoubtedly  intended  for  a  reverie,  full  of  restless 
aspiring  and  serious  introspection.  The  theme  pervades 
the  whole  movement,  and  is  enriched  by  subsidiary 
phrases  from  the  various  instruments  of  the  same  general 
character. 

The  Finale,  Allegro  giojoso,  is  a  noble  and  exalted 
climax  to  the  work,  its  distinguishing  feature  being  a  grand 
chorale-like  theme  of  thanksgiving  expressing  the  joy  of 
man  over  the  return  of  Spring  and  the  glory  of  Nature. 
The  opening  theme  is  bright  and  exhilarating,  and  after 
its  full  development  alternates  with  the  swelling  paean  of 
praise,  which  is  exceedingly  impressive  in  its  repeated 
utterances  by  full  orchestra. 


H.    W.    PARKER 

1863- 

KING  TROJAN 

TROJAN,"  composed  for  chorus,  solos,  and 
orchestra,  was  written  in  March,  1885,  and  first 
performed  in  July  of  the  same  year,  at  Munich.  Its  story 
is  the  poem  of  the  same  name,  by  Franz  Alfred  Muth,  the 
English  version  being  a  free  and  excellent  translation  by 
the  composer's  mother,  Mrs.  Isabella  G.  Parker,  of  Au- 
burndale,  Mass. 

After  a  short  and  graceful  introduction,  the  cantata 
opens  with  a  solo  describing  the  quiet  beauty  of  a  sum- 
mer night,  daintily  accompanied  by  wind  instruments  and 
harp.  A  second  voice  replies  ("  O  summer  night !  "),  and 
then  the  two  join  in  a  vigorous  duet  ("  Oh,  fill  thou  even 
with  light  of  heaven  ").  A  short  solo  for  a  third  voice 
leads  to  a  chorus  which  gives  us  a  picture  of  King  Trojan's 
castle  gleaming  in  the  moonlight.  It  is  followed  by  an 
effective  solo  for  the  King  ("The  horse  is  neighing,  O 
page  of  mine  "),  in  which  he  bids  his  page  saddle  his 
steed  for  a  night  ride  to  visit  his  distant  love.  The  chorus 
intervenes  with  a  reflective  number  ("  What  thinks  she 
now  ?  "),  which  is  dramatic  in  style,  describing  the  mutual 
longing  of  the  lovers  to  be  together. 

The  second  scene  opens  with  a  short  solo  by  the  page 
("  Up,  up,  O  King,  the  horses  wait "),  followed  by  the 
chorus  as  narrator,  describing  the  ride  of  the  King  and  his 
companion  through  the  greenwood,  with  which  is  inter- 
woven Trojan's  solo  ("How  sweet  and  cool  is  yet  the 


HORATIO  \V.  PARKER 


H.    W.    PARKER  345 

night !  ").  In  the  next  number,  a  vivacious  allegro,  the 
story  of  the  ride  is  continued  by  the  chorus,  with  a  charac- 
teristic accompaniment,  and  again  Trojan  sings  a  charming 
tribute  to  the  summer  night,  which  is  followed  by  respon- 
sive solos  of  the  King  and  the  page,  in  the  allegro  and 
penseroso  style,  —  the  one  singing  of  the  raptures  of  night, 
the  other  of  the  gladness  of  day  and  sunlight.  A  passion- 
ate bit  of  recitative  ("  Now  swift,  ye  horses ")  by  Trojan 
reveals  the  secret  of  the  King's  haste.  He  is  King  of  the 
night,  and  the  morning  ray  will  be  fatal  to  him.  A  short 
choral  number  ("  And  forward  fly  they  ")  brings  the  first 
part  to  a  close  with  the  arrival  of  the  riders  at  the  Queen's 
castle. 

The  second  part  opens  with  a  beautiful  solo,  quartette, 
and  chorus  ("  Good  -night,  the  lindens  whisper"),  which 
describes  the  meeting  of  the  lovers,  white 

"  Beneath  the  lofty  castle  gate 
Slumbers  the  page  who  so  long  must  wait. 
Then  crows  the  cock,  the  hour  is  late." 

At  this  note  of  warning  the  page  appeals  to  his  master  to 
fly,  for  the  sunlight  will  bring  him  pain  and  harm.  The 
dallying  King  replies,  "  Hark  !  how  the  nightingale  yet 
sings."  A  small  chorus  intervenes  with  the  warning 
"  Love  is  so  fleeting,  night  is  so  fair."  The  Queen  ap- 
peals to  him,  "What  seest  thou,  O  King?"  To  which 
Trojan  replies  with  agitation,  "The  ruddy  morning,  it  is 
my  death."  Again  comes  the  page's  warning.  The 
King  springs  up  in  alarm  and  hastens  to  his  steed.  In  a 
chorale  presto  movement  the  ride  back  is  described.  The 
King  conceals  himself  in  a  dark  thicket,  hoping  to  escape, 
but  the  night  has  vanished  and  the  day  has  begun.  Its 
beams  penetrate  his  refuge,  and  with  a  last  despairing  cry 
("  Accursed  light,  I  feel  thee  now  ")  he  expires.  A  short 
chorale  passage,  with  harp  accompaniment,  brings  this  very 
dramatic  and  fanciful  composition  to  a  close. 


346     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

HORA    NOVISSIMA 

"  Hora  Novissima,"  the  music  by  Horatio  W.  Parker, 
text  arranged  by  Mrs.  Parker,  mother  of  the  composer, 
was  first  performed  by  the  Church  Choral  Society  of  New 
York  in  1893,  and  has  been  often  given  since  that  time 
both  in  the  United  States  and  in  England,  —  in  the  latter 
country  at  the  Worcester  Festival  of  1899,  and  by  the 
Royal  Choral  Society  of  London  in  1901.  As  a  choral 
and  orchestral  setting  it  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  as 
it  is  one  of  the  most  ambitious  works  by  an  American 
composer. 

The  original  Latin  text,  comprising  three  thousand  lines 
upon  the  subject  "  De  contemptu  mundi,"  was  written  in 
the  twelfth  century  by  Bernard  of  Morlaix,  a  monk  in  the 
Abbey  of  Cluny,  and  from  these  Professor  Parker  has  se- 
lected the  stanzas  which  form  the  climax  of  the  "  Rhythm," 
as  the  poem  is  called,  and  picture  a  vision  of  the  New 
Jerusalem.  These  thirty-five  verses,  of  six  lines  each, 
present  metrical  difficulties,  besides  a  constant  uniformity 
in  character,  but  the  composer  has  overcome  them  with 
great  technical  skill.  Of  the  eleven  numbers,  four  are  for 
solo  voices.  The  remaining  choral  parts  are  written  in 
plain,  strong  harmony,  and  are  massive  in  construction. 

The  opening  chorus  (Hora  novissima),  "  Cometh  earth's 
latest  hour,"  is  preceded  by  a  long  introduction  which 
gives  out  many  of  the  themes  of  the  work,  broadly  and 
freely  treated.  This  is  followed  by  the  quartette  (Hie 
breve  vivitur),  "  Here  life  is  quickly  gone,"  which  begins 
contrapuntally,  develops  into  solid,  effective  harmony, 
and  closes  with  a  beautiful  cadenza.  No.  3  is  a  bass 
solo  (Spe  modo  vivitur),  "Zion  is  captive  yet,"  flowing 
in  style  and  worked  up  with  great  rhythmical  skill.  No.  4 
(Pars  mea,  rex  meus),  "Most  mighty,  most  holy,"  is  a 
chorus  with  introduction  and  fugue,  which  reaches  a  very 


H.    W.    PARKER  347 

vigorous  climax.  It  is  followed  by  the  melodious  soprano 
aria  (O  bone  patria),  "  O  country,  bright  and  fair."  The 
solo, quartette,  and  chorus  (Tu  sine  littore),  "Thou  ocean 
without  shore,"  constructed  of  material  from  the  opening 
number,  closes  the  first  part. 

The  second  part  opens  with  a  tenor  solo  (Urbs  Syon 
aurea),  "  Golden  Jerusalem,"  most  elaborately  accompa- 
nied, which  is  followed  by  a  rapid,  jubilant,  and  massively 
constructed  double  chorus  (Slant  Syon  atria),  "There 
stand  those  halls."  No.  9,  a  contralto  solo  (Gens  duce 
splendida),  "People  victorious,"  is  usually  the  most  pop- 
ular number  in  the  work.  It  is  followed  by  an  a  cnpella 
chorus  (Urbs  Syon  unica),  "  City  of  high  renown,"  a  fugue 
unaccompanied  and  in  strict  style,  and  the  work  comes  to 
a  close  with  a  powerful  quartette  and  chorus  (Urbs  Syon 
inclyta),  "Thou  city  great  and  high,"  in  which  the  com- 
poser gathers  up  his  chief  themes  and  weaves  them  to- 
gether fugally  in  a  compactly  and  artistically  finished  whole. 
The  musical  work  throughout  is  noble,  dignified,  and  schol- 
arly, and  is  a  fitting  setting  for  the  text  of  the  poem  which 
has  long  been  assigned  by  scholars  to  the  same  high  rank 
as  the  "  Stabat  Mater  "  and  "  Dies  Irae." 


J.    C.    D.    PARKER 

1828- 

REDEMPTION  HYMN 

"  '  •  VHE  Redemption  Hymn,"  for  alto  solo  and  chorus, 
JL  was  written  for  the  Fourth  Triennial  Festival  of 
the  Handel  and  Haydn  Society,  and  was  first  given  on 
that  occasion,  May  17,  1877,  Anna  Louise  Gary-Raymond 
taking  the  solo.  The  words  are  taken  from  Isaiah  li : 
9—11.  The  work  opens  with  a  brief  but  spirited  orches- 
tral introduction,  which  leads  to  an  exultant  chorus 
("Awake,  O  arm  of  the  Lord!"),  changing  to  a  well- 
written  fugue  in  the  middle  part  ("Art  thou  not  it?"), 
and  returning  to  the  first  theme  in  the  close.  The  next 
number  is  an  effective  alto  solo  ("Art  thou  not  it  which 
hath  dried  the  sea?")  alternating  with  chorus.  It  is  fol- 
lowed by  a  slow  movement  for  alto  solo  and  chorus 
("Therefore  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  shall  return"), 
which  closes  gracefully  and  tenderly  on  the  words, 
"Sorrow  and  mourning  shall  flee  away." 


JAMES  C.  D.  PARKER 


PARRY 

1848- 

THE  VISION  OF  LIFE 

SIR  HUBERT  PARRY'S  cantata,  or  symphonic  poem, 
as  he  calls  it,  "  The  Vision  of  Life,"  was  first  pro- 
duced at  the  Cardiff  Festival,  September  27,  1907,  and 
both  by  its  beauty  and  the  scholarly  character  of  the  work 
is  likely  to  find  its  way,  in  whole  or  in  part,  to  the  concert- 
room.  It  is  built  upon  a  poem  presenting  the  landmarks 
of  history,  beginning  with  the  primeval  conditions  of 
savagery.  Then  follow  in  quick  succession  Greek  civiliza- 
tion and  the  worship  of  beauty ;  the  ideals  of  Roman  power 
and  grandeur;  the  rise  of  Christianity;  the  warring  of 
sects ;  the  French  Revolution ;  and  finally  the  section 
"  Dimly  the  certainties  waken  the  hearts  of  men." 
The  subject,  as  will  be  seen,  is  one  of  great  dignity,  and 
the  composer  has  given  it  a  dignified  musical  setting. 

The  score  of  the  new  work  has  not  yet  reached  America 
at  the  time  this  volume  is  ready  for  the  press  (1908),  but  the 
music  is  spoken  of  by  authoritative  English  critics  as  char- 
acterized by  richness,  spontaneity,  and  genius  of  invention, 
and  the  treatment  of  the  vocal  and  instrumental  forces  as 
very  interesting,  while  the  thematic  development  is  un- 
usually perfect.  The  solo  portions  are  divided  between 
"A  Dreamer,"  bass,  and  "The  Spirit  of  the  Vision," 
soprano.  The  most  noticeable  numbers  are  the  chorus 
"To  us  is  the  glory  of  beauty  revealed;"  the  imperial 
chorus  referring  to  the  decline  of  Rome ;  the  furious 


350     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

chorus  ("  Red  is  the  wild  revenge ")  referring  to  the 
French  Revolution ;  the  meditative  solo  for  soprano  ("  So 
near  to  perfect  joy  and  peace ")  ;  an  intonation  of 
ecclesiastical  music  for  male  chorus ;  and  the  climax  at 
the  close  ("  We  praise  the  men  of  the  days  long  gone  "). 


SIR  CHARLES  H.  H.  PARRY 


RAFF 

1822-1882 

SYMPHONY  No.  3,  IN  F  MAJOR  (!M  WALDE).    Op.  153 

1.  ALLEGRO.     (Am  Tage  Eindriicke  und  Empfindungen.  —  "Day- 

time.   Impressions  and  Sensations.") 

2.  LARGO.     (In    der    Dammerung.    a.    Traumerei.    />.    Tanz    der 

Dryaden.  — "  Twilight.  Reverie.  Dance  of  the  Wood- 
nymphs.") 

3.  ALLEGRO.     (Nacht.    Stilles  Weben  der  Nacht  im  Walde.     Ein- 

zug  und  Auszug  der  Wilden  Jagd  mit  Frau  Holle  und 
Wotan.  Anbruch  des  Tages.  —  "Night  The  Quiet  Mur- 
mur of  Night  in  the  Forest.  Arrival  and  Departure  of  the 
Wild  Hunt  with  Dame  Holle  and  Wotan.  Break  of  Day.") 

THE  mottoes  of  the  symphony  in  F  major  clearly 
enough  express  its  meaning.  It  is  a  picture  of  day- 
time, twilight,  and  night  in  the  woods.  The  first  two 
movements  are  suggestive.  The  third  attempts  actual  de- 
scription, and  with  remarkable  success.  The  first  move- 
ment bears  the  title  "  Impressions  and  Sensations," 
reminding  one  of  Beethoven's  guide  in  the  Pastoral  sym- 
phony :  "  Expressive  of  feeling  rather  than  painting."  It 
begins  with  an  introductory  call  from  the  horns,  followed 
by  the  strings,  pastoral  and  mysterious  in  its  effect,  and 
throwing  out  hints  of  the  subsequent  theme-material  of 
the  movement.  The  first  theme  is  given  out  by  the 
strings,  followed  by  a  new  phrase  for  strings  and  wind  in- 
struments, and  leading  up  by  ingenious  modulations  to  a 
long  second  theme,  which  after  full  statement  is  partially 
repeated  by  the  horns,  with  accompaniment  of  violins.  A 
new  figure  follows  for  the  bassoons,  with  the  development 


352     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

of  which  the  first  part  of  the  movement  comes  to  a  close. 
In  the  further  treatment  of  the  thematic  material  frequent 
use  is  made  of  the  horn  signal  in  the  Introduction.  This 
and  a  fresh  phrase  for  the  violins,  used  as  accompaniment, 
play  an  important  part  in  the  elaboration.  All  the  themes 
pass  in  review,  the  beautiful  second  entire,  and  the  coda 
brings  to  its  close  this  charming  picture  of  the  quiet  sur- 
prises of  woodland  in  an  autumn  day. 

The  second  movement,  entitled  "Twilight,"  consists  of 
two  parts,  "  Reverie  "  and  "  Dance  of  the  Wood-nymphs," 
the  first  Largo  and  the  second  corresponding  to  the 
Scherzo  and  trio  of  the  orthodox  form.  After  a  short 
introduction  the  Largo  begins  with  a  beautiful  and  sug- 
gestive melody  —  the  reverie  of  the  dreamer.  After  a 
short  episode  it  is  repeated,  this  time  by  the  first  horn  and 
violas,  with  the  remaining  horns,  violins,  and  'cellos  ac- 
companying, —  an  effect  which  is  not  only  thoroughly  in 
keeping  with  the  character  of  the  dream-picture  itself,  but 
admirable  from  an  artistic  point  of  view.  After  another 
episode  the  theme  returns  twice,  the  first  time  with 
heightened  pastoral  effect,  and  the  second  time  in  much 
the  same  manner  as  when  originally  given  out.  The 
Scherzo  opens  with  a  lively  passage  for  the  flutes,  and  the 
trio  starts  off  on  the  strings.  It  is  in  reality  a  dance 
movement,  —  the  dance  of  the  dryads,  —  but  before  its 
close  the  reverie  motive  of  the  Largo  appears,  and  thus 
unifies  the  movement  and  completes  the  picture  of  the 
dreamer  and  his  reverie  intruded  upon  by  the  dancing 
wood-nymphs. 

In  the  final  movement  the  mythologies  are  somewhat 
mixed.  The  graceful  dryads  disappear  in  the  twilight. 
Night  comes  on,  and  the  grim  spectres  of  the  Northern 
sagas  make  their  appearance,  rising  from  the  caverns  of 
the  earth  and  joining  in  the  Wild  Hunt  in  the  air,  —  sad 
presage  of  coming  death  to  the  unfortunate  spectator  at 


RAFF  353 

the  diabolical  scene.  Darkness  has  overspread  the  forest, 
and  the  opening  theme,  with  its  fugal  treatment  and  fre- 
quent repetitions,  is  typical  of  the  stillness  of  night.  That 
stillness  is  soon  broken.  In  marked  rhythm  the  strings 
and  clarinets,  supported  by  the  'cellos  and  bassoons,  an- 
nounce the  approach  of  the  Wild  Hunt  and  its  unearthly 
saturnalia.  It  is  needless  to  follow  the  musical  devices 
which  the  composer  employs  to  produce  his  effect.  There 
is  no  mistaking  the  meaning  of  this  orgy.  The  same  theme 
which  announced  the  tramp  of  the  hellish  crew  tells  us  they 
have  passed  by.  Once  more  the  "  Stillness  of  Night " 
theme  returns,  but,  like  Emerson's  "  Brahma,"  they  "  turn 
and  pass  and  come  again."  The  horrible  uproar  is  re- 
sumed ;  but  at  last  they  disappear,  and  stillness  settles 
down  once  more,  not  to  be  disturbed  again  until  a  theme 
from  the  first  movement  appears.  It  is  the  dawn  of 
breaking  day,  and  from  this  we  pass  on  into  the  sunrise. 

SYMPHONY  No.  5  (LENORE).    OP.  177 

1.  ALLEGRO.    ANDANTE     QUASI     LARGHETTO.    (Liebesgliick. — 

"  Happiness  in  Love.") 

2.  MARCH  TEMPO.     (Trennung.  —  "Separation.") 

3.  ALLEGRO.     (VViedervereinegung.  —  "Reunion   in   Death."    In- 

troduction and  Ballad  after  Burger's  "  Lenore.") 

The  "  Lenore  "  is  confessedly  the  best  of  Raffs  sym- 
phonic works.  It  is  written  in  illustration  of  Burger's  grew- 
some  ballad,  although  it  is  only  the  third  movement  that  is 
so  marked  by  the  composer.  In  the  ballad  itself  the  maiden 
Lenore  mourns  for  her  lover  William,  who  has  gone  to  the 
wars  and  from  whom  she  has  received  no  tidings,  although 
peace  has  been  declared.  Hearing  nothing  of  him  from 
his  returning  comrades,  she  becomes  frenzied,  and  blas- 
phemes. In  the  night,  however,  there  is  a  knock  at  her 
door.  It  is  her  lover,  who  informs  her  that  he  must  bear 
her  away  a  hundred  leagues  to  their  bridal  chamber.  She 


354     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

mounts  his  steed  behind  him,  and  away  they  fly  through 
the  darkness.  They  meet  with  many  grim  encounters  on 
the  ride.  A  train  of  mourners  bearing  a  corpse  to  the 
grave  forsake  it  and  join  in  the  ghastly  ride.  Spectres 
dancing  about  a  gibbet  also  fall  in.  At  last,  as  day  dawns 
they  rush  through  a  gate  into  a  cemetery,  William  dis- 
closes himself  to  her  as  a  skeleton,  and  the  unfortunate 
Lenore  at  lasts  finds  relief  from  her  sorrows. 

The  symphony  is  divided  into  three  parts,  the  first  of 
which,  "  Happiness  in  Love,"  consists  of  two  movements 
corresponding  to  the  first  Allegro  and  Adagio  of  the  usual 
symphonic  form.  They  are  entitled  Allegro  and  Andante 
quasi  larghetto.  The  two  principal  themes  of  the  Allegro 
are  simply  expressions  of  happy,  passionate  scenes  between 
the  two  lovers.  In  the  third  melody  tenderness  and  long- 
ing speak  out,  which  change  to  anxiety  and  foreboding  in 
the  development  of  this  section  of  the  movement.  The 
second  part  of  the  movement  is  a  delightful  representation 
of  the  discourse  of  the  lovers,  in  which  it  is  not  difficult  to 
imagine  William  listening  to  the  anxious  expressions  of  Le- 
nore and  seeking  to  quiet  her  and  allay  her  apprehensions. 

The  second  movement  is  in  march  form,  for  war  has 
broken  out,  and  the  lover  must  take  his  departure.  The 
fascinating  march  is  so  familiar  by  its  frequent  perform- 
ance that  it  hardly  needs  more  than  mere  reference.  It 
is  interrupted  by  an  episode  of  an  agitated  character, 
which  graphically  depicts  the  parting  of  the  lovers  and 
Lenore's  grief  and  despair.  Then  the  march  is  resumed, 
and  dies  away  in  the  distance  as  the  movement  comes  to 
a  close. 

The  final  movement  is  the  one  which  the  composer  has 
indicated  as  being  after  Burger's  ballad,  to  which  the  other 
two  are  introductory.  It  opens  with  a  plaintive  theme 
given  out  by  the  strings,  suggestive  of  Lenore  mourning 
for  her  lover  as  she  wakes  from  troubled  dreams.  Then 


JOACHIM  RAFF 


RAFF  355 

follows  an  intimation  of  her  fate  in  a  brief  phrase  for  the 
trombones.  The  trio  of  the  march  tells  the  story  of  her 
despair,  for  the  army  has  returned  without  her  lover.  Her 
blasphemy  and  the  remonstrances  of  her  mother  are  clearly 
indicated.  The  recurrence  of  the  first  theme  leads  up  to 
a  rhythmical  figure  for  the  viola,  representing  the  tramp 
of  the  steed  bearing  the  spectre  bridegroom.  The  bell 
tinkles  softly,  and  Lenore  descends  to  meet  her  lover. 
Then  the  'cellos  take  up  the  figure,  retaining  it  to  the 
close.  The  terrible  ride  begins.  The  bassoons  and  oboes 
carry  on  the  dialogue  between  the  spectre  and  his  bride. 
One  after  another  the  constantly  intensified  and  impetuous 
music  pictures  the  scenes  of  the  ride,  the  'cellos  and  other 
strings  keeping  up  their  figure.  A  gloomy  dirge  tells  us 
of  the  funeral  train,  and  a  weird  theme  in  triple  time  of  the 
spectres'  dance  about  the  gibbet,  accompanied  by  wild 
cries  of  the  night  birds.  More  and  more  furious  grows 
the  ride  until  the  graveyard  is  reached,  when,  after  a 
moment  of  silence  following  the  transformation,  a  choral 
strain  is  heard,  with  a  sad  and  tender  accompaniment. 
The  wretched  maiden  has  at  last  found  rest. 


SYMPHONY  No.  8,  IN  A  (FRUHUNGSKLANGE).     OP.  205 

1.  ALLEGRO.    ("  Nature's  Awakening.") 

2.  WALPURGIS  NACHT. 

3.  LARGHETTO.    ("  First  Blossoms  of  Spring.") 

4.  ALLEGRO.    ("  The  Joys  of  Wandering.") 

The  symphony  No.  8,  in  A,  is  entitled  "Friihlings- 
klange  "  ("Sounds  of  Spring")  and  is  the  first  of  a  series 
of  four,  the  other  three  being  "  Im  Sommerzeit "  ("  In 
Summer  Time"),  "  Zur  Herbstzeit "  ("In  Autumn"), 
and  "Im  Winter  "  ("  In  Winter").  The  first  movement, 
Allegro,  begins  with  a  long  introduction  intended  to  de- 
pict the  quiet  of  Nature  before  the  awakening  from  her 


356     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

winter  sleep.  It  opens  with  long-drawn  pianissimo  chords 
given  out  by  the  string  orchestra,  with  bassoons,  to  which 
the  first  horn  imparts  warmth  and  vitality  with  the  opening 
tones  of  the  first  subject.  The  oboe,  and  after  a  few 
measures  the  flute,  take  up  the  theme  with  increasing  life  ; 
and  at  last  the  violins  give  decided  animation  to  the 
movement,  followed  by  the  wood  winds,  which  furnish 
bright  and  cheerful  color.  The  call  of  the  various  instru- 
ments is  answered  by  the  full  orchestra,  which  announces 
the  theme  entire,  and  with  it  the  full  awakening  of  Nature 
and  her  freedom  from  the  sombre  influences  of  winter.  A 
charming  pastoral  episode  leads  up  to  the  second  theme, 
—  a  spring  song  for  the  violins,  followed  by  a  free  canon 
for  the  strings,  resolving  into  a  coda  for  the  new  subject. 
The  development  of  the  two  themes  then  occurs  in  the 
usual  form,  and  the  reprise  closes  with  a  jubilant  outburst 
suggestive  of  a  chorus  of  praise. 

The  second  movement,  "  Walpurgis  Night,"  brings  us 
into  Mendelssohn's  world  of  fancy,  but  not  with  his  light 
and  airy  step.  It  is  weird  and  grotesque,  instead  of  fanci- 
ful. Witches  take  the  place  of  elves.  They  enter  quietly 
at  first,  but  as  their  numbers  increase,  with  suggestions  of 
the  Wild  Hunt,  —  a  supernaturalism  of  which  Raff  is  very 
fond,  — they  march  on  to  their  May  orgies  amid  a  din  of 
trumpets,  trombones,  and  horns,  filling  the  air  with  horrid 
sounds  sufficient  to  scare  away  all  the  spring  nymphs  and 
dryads.  Their  song  accompanies  a  wild  and  furious  tar- 
antella as  they  perform  their  sacrifice.  Then  comes  a 
sudden  alarm  ;  and  the  ghostly  celebrants  disperse,  for  the 
dawn  is  approaching. 

The  third  movement,  Larghetto,  brings  welcome  relief 
after  all  this  blare  and  din.  It  is  entitled  "The  First 
Blossoms  of  Spring,"  and  opens  with  a  suave  and  tender 
melody,  most  poetically  orchestrated,  and  treated  with 
unusual  refinement  to  the  end.  The  second  theme  is 


RAFF  357 

equally  pretty  and  sentimental,  and  enhances  the  graceful 
and  spring-like  effect  of  the  movement.  The  theme  is  in- 
toned by  the  violins  with  a  pizzicato  accompaniment  by 
the  'cellos,  which  in  turn  take  up  a  fresh,  melodious 
phrase,  the  violins  carrying  the  accompaniment  in  graceful 
semi-quavers.  In  the  close  there  is  an  effective  imitation 
of  a  bell,  produced  by  the  flutes  in  combination  with  the 
pizzicato  of  the  second  violins. 

The  fourth  movement,  "The  Joys  of  Wandering,"  is 
characterized  by  a  resumption  of  the  clamor  and  noisy 
resonance  of  the  first  two.  Spring,  with  its  blossoms  and 
songs  of  birds,  is  evidently  left  behind,  and  the  wanderer 
is  out  in  the  world  seeking  freedom  and  happiness.  The 
symphony  closes  with  a  long  coda  in  which  the  brass  in- 
struments dominate.  Though  very  pleasing  by  its  variety 
in  effects  and  realistic  color,  it  has  not  made  such  an  im- 
pression as  the  "  Lenore  "  or  "  Im  Walde,"  —  his  earlier 
works ;  but  of  the  series  to  which  it  belongs,  it  is  unques- 
tionably the  most  popular. 


RANDEGGER 

1832- 

FRIDOLIN 

,  or  the  Message  to  the  Forge  "  was  writ- 
ten  for  the  Birmingham  Triennial  Musical  Festival 
of  1873.  The  words,  by  Mme.  Erminia  Rudersdorff,  are 
founded  on  Schiller's  ballad,  "  Der  Gang  nach  dem  Eisen- 
hammer."  The  dramatis  persona  are  Waldemar,  Count  of 
Saverne ;  Eglantine,  Countess  of  Saverne  ;  Fridolin,  page 
to  the  Countess ;  and  Hubert,  squire  to  the  Count.  The 
story  closely  follows  that  of  Schiller. 

A  short  but  stirring  prelude  introduces  the  declamatory 
prologue-chorus  ("  A  pious  youth  was  Fridolin").  The 
cantata  proper  opens  with  a  recitative  by  Fridolin  ("  Aris- 
ing from  the  lap  of  star-clad  night "),  leading  up  to  the 
quiet,  dreamy  air,  "  None  but  holy,  lofty  thoughts."  It 
is  followed  by  a  bass  scena  for  Hubert  ("  Proceed,  thou 
hateful  minion,  on  thy  path")  which  opens  in  an  agitated 
manner,  but  grows  more  reposeful  and  tender  in  style  as 
the  subject  changes  in  the  passage  "  For  one  kind  glance 
from  out  those  eyes  divine."  Again  the  scene  changes 
and  becomes  vigorous  in  the  recitative  "  Dispelled  by 
jealous  rage  is  hope's  fond  dream,"  set  to  an  imposing 
accompaniment,  and  leading  to  a  brilliant,  fiery  allegro 
("  A  thousand  hideous  deaths  I  'd  make  him  die  ").  The 
next  number  is  a  graphic  and  spirited  hunting-chorus 
("  Hark  !  the  morn  awakes  the  horn  "),  introduced  and 
accompanied  by  the  horns,  and  full  of  breezy,  out-door 


ALHERTO  RANUEGGER 


RANDEGGER  359 

feeling.  A  long  dialogue  follows  between  Hubert  and  the 
Count,  somewhat  gloomy  in  character,  in  which  the  former 
arouses  his  master's  jealous  suspicions.  The  gloom  still 
further  deepens  as  Hubert  suggests  the  manner  of  Fridolin's 
death  ("  Mid  yon  gloomy  mountains  ").  Then  follows  the 
message  to  the  forge  by  the  Count  in  monotone  phrases 
("  Mark,  ye  serfs,  your  lord's  commands  "),  and  the  scene 
closes  with  a  dramatic  duet  ("  Death  and  destruction  fall 
upon  his  head  ").  In  striking  contrast  with  these  stormy 
numbers  comes  the  charming,  graceful  chorus  of  the  hand- 
maidens ("  Calmly  flow  the  equal  hours  "),  followed  by  an 
expressive  song  for  the  Countess  ("  No  bliss  can  be  so 
great ").  A  short  scene  in  recitative  leads  up  to  a  tender 
duet  ("  Above  yon  sun,  the  stars  above  ")  for  Fridolin  and 
the  Countess,  closing  with  a  powerful  quartette  for  the  four 
principal  parts  ("Now  know  I,  Hubert,  thou  speakest 
true  "). 

The  ninth  scene  is  admirably  constructed.  It  opens 
with  an  animated  and  picturesque  dance  and  chorus  of 
villagers  ("Song  is  resounding,  dancers  are  bounding"), 
which  swings  along  in  graceful  rhythm  until  it  is  inter- 
rupted by  a  solemn  phrase  for  organ,  introduced  by 
horns,  which  prepares  the  way  for  a  chorale  ("Guardian 
angels  sweet  and  fair"),  closing  with  Fridolin's  prayer  at 
the  shrine,  interwoven  with  a  beautiful  sacred  chorus 
("  Sancta  Maria,  enthroned  above  ").  In  a  recitative  and 
ballad  ("The  wildest  conflicts  rage  within  my  fevered 
soul ")  the  Count  mourns  over  what  he  supposes  to  be  the 
infidelity  of  his  wife,  followed  by  a  long  and  dramatic  scene 
with  the  Countess  ("  My  VValdemar,  how  erred  thine  Eg- 
lantine?"). The  last  scene  is  laid  at  the  forge,  and  after 
a  short  but  vigorous  prelude  opens  with  a  chorus  of  the 
smiths  ("  Gift  of  demons,  raging  fire  "),  in  which  the  com- 
poser has  produced  the  effect  of  clanging  anvils,  roaring 
fire,  and  hissing  sparks,  with  wonderful  realism.  The 


360     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

chorus  closes  with  passages  describing  the  providential 
rescue  of  Fridolin  and  the  fate  of  Hubert,  and  an  Andante 
religiose  ("Let  your  voices  anthems  raise").  The  epi- 
logue is  mainly  choral,  and  ends  this  very  dramatic  work 
in  broad,  flowing  harmonies. 


RHEINBERGER 

1837- 

TOGGENBURG 

"  npOGGENBURG,"  a  cycle  of  ballads,  was  written  in 
JL  1880.  The  music  is  for  solos  and  mixed  chorus, 
the  ballads  being  linked  together  by  motives,  thus  forming 
a  connected  whole.  The  story  is  a  simple  one.  The 
bright  opening  chorus  ("At  Toggenburg  all  is  in  festive 
array  ")  describes  the  pageantry  which  has  been  prepared 
to  welcome  the  return  of  Henry,  Knight  of  Toggenburg, 
with  his  fair  young  Suabian  bride,  the  Lady  Etha.  The 
chorus  is  followed  by  a  duet  and  alto  or  barytone  solo, 
which  indicate  the  departure  of  the  Knight  for  the  wars, 
and  the  Lady  Etha's  loss  of  the  wedding  ring.  The  next 
number,  a  solo  quartette  and  chorus  ("  Ah  !  huntsman, 
who  gave  thee  the  diamond  ring?"),  is  dramatic  in  its 
delineation  of  the  return  of  the  victorious  Knight,  who, 
observing  the  ring  on  the  finger  of  the  huntsman,  slays 
him,  and  then  in  a  fit  of  jealousy  hurls  the  Lady  Etha 
from  the  tower  where  she  was  waving  him  welcome.  The 
next  number  is  a  female  chorus  ("  On  mossy  bed  her  gen- 
tle form  reposes  "),  very  slow  in  its  movement  and  plain- 
tive in  character.  It  is  followed  by  a  weird  and  solemn 
chorus  ("Through  the  night  rings  the  horn's  blast  with 
power"),  picturing  the  mad  ride  of  the  Knight  through 
the  darkness,  accompanied  by  the  dismal  notes  of  ravens 
and  mysterious  sounds  like  "greetings  from  the  dead," 
which  only  cease  when  he  discovers  the  corpse  of  his  lady 
with  the  cross  on  its  breast.  A  short  closing  chorus 


362     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

("  Toggenburg  all  is  in  mourning  array  "),  funereal  in  style, 
ends  the  mournful  story.  Though  the  work  has  somewhat 
both  of  the  Schumann  and  Mendelssohn  sentiment  in  it, 
it  is  nevertheless  original  and  characteristic  in  treatment. 
The  melodies  are  pleasing  throughout,  and  cover  a  wide 
range  of  expression,  reaching  from  the  tenderness  of  love 
to  the  madness  of  jealousy,  and  thence  on  to  the  elegiac 
Finale. 

SYMPHONY  No.  i   (WALLENSTEIN).     OP.  10 

1.  VORSPIEL. 

2.  ADAGIO.     ("Thekla.") 

3.  SCHERZO.     Poco  PIU   MODERATO.     ("  Wallenstein's  Camp. 

The  Friar's  Admonition.") 

4.  FINALE.     ("  Wallenstein's  Death.") 

The  great  hero  of  the  Thirty  Years'  War  has  been  cele- 
brated by  Schiller  in  two  of  his  dramas,  —  "  The  Piccolo- 
mini  "  and  "  The  Death  of  Wallenstein."  The  former  is 
introduced  by  a  one-act  prologue  entitled  "  The  Camp  of 
Wallenstein."  The  composer  has  selected  episodes  from 
this  trilogy  for  musical  illustration.  Thus  in  the  Vorspiel, 
or  prelude,  he  undertakes  a  sketch  of  the  great  soldier  him- 
self ;  the  Adagio  brings  before  us  a  picture  of  the  devoted 
Thekla ;  the  Scherzo  is  based  upon  the  prologue  already 
mentioned ;  and  the  Finale  delineates  the  close  of  the 
tragical  story. 

The  opening  movement,  an  Allegro,  entitled  "  Vorspiel," 
in  its  animated  principal  theme  sketches  the  hero  con- 
scious of  his  strength,  full  of  ambition,  and  dominating  the 
camp.  Other  themes  more  tender  in  character  follow, 
evidently  suggestive  of  his  relations  to  Max  and  Thekla, 
the  devoted  but  sorrowful  princess  of  Friedland.  Short 
and  sombre  motives  occur,  foreshadowing  the  impending 
doom  of  the  hero.  The  Vorspiel  plays  the  same  part  for 
the  symphony  that  the  overture  does  for  the  opera.  It 


JOSEPH  RHEINBERCER 


RHEINBERGER  363 

sketches  its  scenes  and  sentiment,  and  its  themes  reappear 
in  the  other  three  movements. 

The  Adagio,  entitled  "Thekla,"  is  a  character-sketch, 
opening  with  a  first  theme  of  extraordinary  beauty.  The 
second  theme,  given  out  by  the  wind  instruments,  accom- 
panied by  the  violins,  is  tender  and  plaintive  in  character, 
and  is  evidently  intended  for  a  picture  of  Wallenstein's 
daughter.  A  short  episode  follows,  touching  upon  her 
love  for  Max,  and  the  movement  closes  with  a  delineation 
of  the  unrest  which  ever  after  follows  the  unfortunate 
maiden. 

The  third  movement,  Scherzo,  "  Wallenstein's  Camp," 
opens  with  a  theme  full  of  gaiety  and  abandon,  given  out  by 
the  violins,  followed  by  several  shorter  themes  and  episodes 
intended  as  pictures  of  the  wild  scenes  among  the  Croats, 
Uhlans,  Yagers,  Cuirassiers,  and  camp-followers  of  Wallen- 
stein.  After  the  development  of  this  material  the  principal 
subject  returns  and  leads  up  to  a  new  theme,  —  an  old 
Netherlandish  troopers'  song,  called  "  William  of  Nassau," 
which  was  a  great  favorite  in  the  time  of  the  Reformation. 
After  its  development,  which  is  accomplished  in  an  effec- 
tive manner,  the  Trio,  poco  piii  moderato,  called  "The 
Friar's  Admonition,"  which  in  the  prologue  is  a  scene  for 
a  Capuchin  who  enters  amid  the  general  revelry  and  hurls 
his  maledictions  at  Wallenstein,  begins  with  a  phrase  in 
mock  ecclesiastical  style,  leading  up  to  the  principal 
theme,  to  which  subsidiary  phrases  respond,  evidently  sug- 
gestive of  the  soldiers'  taunts  and  menaces.  After  the  de- 
velopment of  these  episodes  the  violins  give  out  a  light, 
vivacious  melody  in  dance  tempo.  At  the  close  of  the 
trio  the  Scherzo  is  repeated. 

The  Finale,  "  Wallenstein's  Death,"  opens  with  a  short 
prologue  foreshadowing  in  sombre  tones  the  coming  trag- 
edy. The  movement  really  begins  with  an  Allegro  vivace 
which  recalls  martial  surroundings.  The  hero  wanders  in 


364     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

dreams,  and  the  music  delineates  his  visions.  He  awakes, 
and  again  it  paints  the  bustle  of  camp-life,  then  changing 
to  an  Adagio,  as  the  hero  slumbers  again.  Thus  the  music 
alternates  between  the  spirited  scenes  of  the  camp  and 
Wallenstein's  dream-fantasie,  until  the  trumpets  and  trom- 
bones, in  wild  dissonances,  accompanied  by  a  general  out- 
burst from  the  whole  orchestra,  announce  the  catastrophe. 


ROMBERG 

1767-1821 

LAY  OF  THE  BELL 

THE  "Lay  of  the  Bell"  was  composed  in  1808,  the 
music  being  set  to  Schiller's  famous  poem  of  the 
same  name,  whose  stately  measures  are  well  adapted  to 
musical  treatment.  It  opens  with  a  bass  solo  by  the  Mas- 
ter, urging  on  the  workmen  ("  In  the  earth  right  firmly 
planted").  The  full  chorus  responds  in  a  rather  didactic 
strain  ("The  labor  we  prepare  in  earnest"),  and  as  it 
closes  the  Master  gives  his  directions  for  lighting  the  fire 
in  the  furnace  and  mixing  the  metals.  In  this  manner 
the  work  progresses,  the  Master  issuing  his  orders  until 
the  bell  is  ready  for  the  casting,  the  solo  singers  or  chorus 
replying  with  sentiments  naturally  suggested  by  the  process 
and  the  future  work  of  the  bell.  The  first  of  these  re- 
sponses is  the  chorus  ("  What  in  the  earth  profoundly 
hidden "),  a  smoothly  flowing  number  followed  by  a 
soprano  solo  ("For  with  a  burst  of  joyous  clangor"),  a 
pleasantly  rippling  melody  picturing  the  joys  of  childhood, 
and  a  spirited  tenor  solo  ("The  youth,  girl-playmates 
proudly  leaving ")  indicating  the  dawn  of  the  tender 
passion  which  broadens  out  into  love,  as  the  two  voices 
join  in  a  charming  duet  ("Oh,  tender  longing,  hope 
delightsome").  The  bass  still  further  emphasizes  their 
delight  in  the  recitative  ("When  stern  and  gentle  troth 
have  plighted  "),  leading  up  to  a  long  but  interesting  tenor 
solo  ("Though  passion  gives  way")  which  describes  the 


366     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

homely  joys  of  domestic  life.  The  male  chorus  thereupon 
takes  up  the  story  in  a  joyful  strain  ("  And  the  good  man 
with  cheerful  eye  "),  and  tells  us  of  the  prosperity  of  the 
happy  pair  and  the  good  man's  boast  ("  Firm  as  the  solid 
earth "),  to  which  comes  the  ominous  response  of  the 
female  chorus  ("Yet  none  may  with  Fate  supernal"). 
The  Master  now  gives  the  signal  to  release  the  metal  into 
the  mould,  whereupon  follows  a  stirring  and  picturesque 
chorus  ("Right  helpful  is  the  might  of  fire")  describing 
the  terrors  of  fire,  the  wild  alarm,  the  fright  and  confu- 
sion of  the  people,  the  clanging  bells  and  crackling  flames, 
and  the  final  destruction  of  the  homestead,  closing  the 
first  part. 

The  second  part  opens  with  the  anxious  orders  of  the 
Master  to  cease  from  work  and  await  the  result  of  the 
casting.  The  chorus  takes  up  a  slow  and  stately  measure 
("To  mother  earth  our  work  committing")  which  closes 
in  a  mournful  Finale  describing  the  passing  funeral  train, 
followed  by  a  pathetic  soprano  solo  which  tells  the  sad 
story  of  the  death  of  the  good  man's  wife,  while  "to 
the  orphaned  home  a  stranger  comes  unloving  rule  to 
bear."  The  scene  now  changes  from  a  desolate  to  a 
happy  home  as  the  Master  bids  the  workmen  seek  their 
pleasure  while  the  bell  is  cooling.  A  soprano  solo  takes 
up  a  cheery  strain  ("Wends  the  weary  wanderer"), 
picturing  the  harvest  home,  the  dance  of  the  youthful 
reapers,  and  the  joys  of  evening  by  the  fireside,  followed 
by  a  tribute  to  patriotism,  sung  by  tenor  and  bass,  the 
pleasant  scene  closing  with  an  exultant  full  chorus  ("  Thou- 
sand active  hands  combining  ").  The  Master  then  gives 
the  order  to  break  the  mould,  and  in  contemplation  of 
the  ruin  which  might  have  been  caused  had  the  metal 
burst  it,  the  chorus  breaks  out  in  strong,  startling  phrases 
picturing  the  horrors  of  civil  strife  ("  The  Master's  hand 
the  mould  may  shatter").  The  work,  however,  is 


ROMBERG  367 

complete  and  successful,  and  in  the  true  spirit  of  German 
Gemiithlichkeit  the  Master  summons  his  workmen  ("  Let 
us,  comrades,  round  her  pressing").  The  cantata  closes 
with  a  last  invocation  on  the  part  of  the  Master,  followed 
by  a  jubilant  chorus  ("  She  is  moving,  she  is  moving"). 


ROSSINI 

1792-1868 

STABAT  MATER 

THE  "  Stabat  Mater"  was  written  in  1832,  but  was 
not  sung  in   public  until  January   7,    1842,   when 
Grisi,  Albertazzi,  Mario,  and  Tamburini  took  the  principal 
parts. 

A  brief  but  brilliant  orchestral  prelude  leads  to  the 
opening  chorus  ("  Stabat  Mater  dolorosa  "),  arranged  for 
solos  and  chorus,  and  very  dramatic  in  style,  especially  in 
its  broad,  melodious  contrasts.  It  is  followed  by  the 
tenor  solo,  "  Cujus  animam,"  which  is  familiar  to  every 
concert-goer,  —  a  clear-cut  melody  free  of  embellishment, 
but  brilliant  and  even  jubilant  in  character,  considering 
the  nature  of  the  text.  The  next  number  ("  Quis  est 
homo "),  for  two  sopranos,  is  equally  familiar.  It  is 
based  upon  a  lovely  melody,  first  given  out  by  the  first 
soprano,  and  then  by  the  second,  after  which  the  two 
voices  carry  the  theme  through  measure  after  measure  of 
mere  vocal  embroidery,  closing  with  an  extremely  brilliant 
cadenza  in  genuine  operatic  style.  The  fourth  number  is 
the  bass  aria  ("Pro  peccatis  "),  the  two  themes  in  which 
are  very  earnest  and  even  serious  in  character,  and  come 
nearer  to  the  church  style  than  any  other  parts  of  the  work. 
It  is  followed  by  a  beautifully  constructed  number  ("  Eia 
Mater  "),  a  bass  recitative  with  chorus.  The  sixth  number 
is  a  lovely  quartette  ("  Sancta  Mater"),  full  of  variety  in 
its  treatment,  and  closing  with  full,  broad  harmony.  After 
a  short  solo  for  soprano  ("  Fac  ut  portem  "),  the  climax  is 


GIOACHINO  ROSSINI 


ROSSINI  369 

reached  in  the  "  Inflammatus,"  a  brilliant  soprano  ob- 
ligate with  powerful  choral  accompaniment.  The  solo 
number  requires  a  voice  of  exceptional  range,  power, 
and  flexibility ;  with  this  condition  satisfied,  the  effect  is 
intensely  dramatic,  and  particularly  fascinating  by  the 
manner  in  which  the  solo  is  set  off  against  the  choral 
background.  A  beautiful  unaccompanied  quartette  in 
broad,  plain  harmony  ("Quando  corpus"),  leads  to  the 
showy  fugued  "  Amen  "  which  closes  the  work. 


RUBINSTEIN 

1830-1894 

THE  TOWER  OF  BABEL 

"  /"T"^HE  Tower  of  Babel,"  a  sacred  opera,  as  Rubin- 
X  stein  entitles  it,  was  written  in  1870,  the  text, 
which  is  somewhat  of  a  travesty  on  sacred  history,  by  Julius 
Rodenberg.  The  anachronisms  are  numerous  enough  to 
make  the  text  almost  a  burlesque.  Nimrod,  the  mighty 
hunter,  is  made  the  chief  builder  of  the  tower,  which  is  sup- 
posed to  be  in  process  of  erection  as  an  insult  to  the  Deity. 
Abraham  appears  upon  the  scene  many  years  before  he 
was  born,  and  rebukes  Nimrod  for  his  presumption ; 
whereupon  the  hunter-king  orders  "  the  shepherd,"  as  he 
is  called,  to  be  thrown  into  a  fiery  furnace,  after  the  man- 
ner of  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego.  The  angels 
watch  over  the  patriarch,  and  he  comes  out  of  the  fire  un- 
harmed. Some  of  the  people  standing  by  ascribe  the  mir- 
acle to  Baal,  some  to  Dagon,  some  to  Ashtaroth,  and  a  few 
to  Jehovah,  and  at  last  get  into  a  quarrel  with  each  other. 
Nimrod  interposes  his  authority,  and  orders  them  to  their 
work  on  the  tower  again.  Soon  the  heavens  cloud  over, 
and  a  storm  is  seen  approaching.  Abraham  prophesies 
destruction,  and  Nimrod  orders  him  to  be  seized  and 
hurled  from  the  summit  of  the  tower;  but  before  his 
commands  can  be  executed,  a  thunderbolt  strikes  it  and 
crumbles  it  into  a  heap  of  shapeless  stones.  While  Abra- 
ham exults  over  the  destruction,  the  dispersion  of  the 
three  races,  the  Shemites,  Karaites,  and  Japthides,  occurs. 
Nimrod  laments  over  the  result  of  his  folly,  and  at  last 


RUBINSTEIN  371 

acknowledges  the  authority  of  the  Divine  Power,  and  thus 
the  story  ends. 

The  dramatis  persona  are  Nimrod,  bass ;  Abraham, 
tenor ;  Master  Workman,  barytone ;  four  angels,  boys' 
voices ;  the  choruses  by  Nimrod's  followers ;  the  people, 
angels,  and  demons.  The  overture  is  a  confused,  form- 
less number,  indicating  the  darkness.  In  the  beginning 
there  is  no  clear  musical  idea ;  but  at  last  the  subject  as- 
sumes definite  form  as  the  dawn  breaks  and  the  Master 
Workman  announces  the  sunrise  and  calls  the  people 
to  their  work,  in  the  recitative  ("  Awake  !  ye  workers, 
awake  !  ").  The  summons  is  followed  by  the  chorus  ("To 
work "),  in  which  the  vocal  part  is  noisy,  broken,  and 
somewhat  discordant,  representing  the  hurry  and  bustle  of 
a  crowd  of  working-men,  —  with  which,  however,  the  or- 
chestra and  organ  build  up  a  powerful  theme.  The  song 
of  the  Master  Workman  is  also  interwoven,  and  the  cho- 
rus is  finally  developed  with  great  vigor  and  splendid 
dramatic  effect.  Nimrod  now  appears,  and  in  a  triumph- 
ant outburst  ("  Stately  rises  our  work  on  high  ")  contem- 
plates the  monument  to  his  greatness  now  approaching 
completion.  Abraham  rebukes  him  ("  How,  mortal,  canst 
thou  reach  His  presence  ?  ").  The  scene  at  this  point  is 
full  of  dramatic  vigor.  Nimrod  hurls  imprecations  at 
Abraham,  followed  by  strongly  contrasting  choruses  of  the 
angry  people  and  protecting  angels,  which  lead  up  to 
the  mixed  chorus  of  the  people,  indicating  the  confusion 
of  tongues  as  they  severally  ascribe  the  escape  of  Abra- 
ham from  the  furnace-fire  to  Baal,  Dagon,  Ashtaroth,  and 
Jehovah,  and  closing  with  tumultuous  dissension,  which 
is  quelled  by  Nimrod.  The  effect  of  the  angels'  voices  in 
the  hurly-burly  is  exceedingly  beautiful,  and  the  accom- 
paniments, particularly  those  of  the  fire  scene,  are  very 
vivid.  Nimrod's  order  to  resume  work  on  the  tower  is 
followed  by  the  angelic  strain  ("  Come  on  1  let  us  down 


372     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

to  earth  now  hasten").  Once  more  the  builders  break 
out  in  their  barbaric  chorus  ("To  work"),  followed  by 
the  portentous  outburst  of  the  people  ("  How  the  face  of 
heaven  is  o'ershadowed  !  ").  In  a  vigorous  solo  Abra- 
ham replies  ("  No  !  't  is  not  vapor  nor  storm-clouds  that 
gather").  There  is  a  final  controversy  between  Abraham 
and  Nimrod,  and  as  the  latter  orders  the  patriarch  to  be 
thrown  from  the  tower,  the  storm  breaks,  and  amid  the 
shrieks  of  the  chorus  ("  Horror  !  horror  !  ")  and  the  tre- 
mendous clangor  of  organ  and  orchestra  on  the  theme 
already  developed  in  the  opening,  the  tower  is  destroyed. 
The  tumultuous  scene  is  followed  by  Nimrod's  lament 
("  The  tower  whose  lofty  height  was  like  my  state  "),  a 
bass  aria  of  great  power,  and  reaching  a  splendid  climax. 
Abraham,  in  an  exultant  strain  ("  The  Lord  is  strong  in 
might  "),  proclaims  God's  purpose  to  scatter  the  people. 
The  most  picturesque  scene  in  the  work  now  occurs,  — 
the  dispersal  of  the  Shemites,  Hamites,  and  Japthides, 
typified  by  orchestral  marches  and  choruses  of  a  barbaric 
cast.  The  first  chorus,  that  of  the  Shemites,  which  is  sung 
in  unison,  is  taken  from  some  of  the  ancient  music  in  the 
ritual  of  the  Jewish  Synagogue,  used  on  the  eve  of  the  Day 
of  Atonement.  The  other  two  choruses  are  also'  oriental 
in  color  and  rhythm,  and  give  a  striking  effect  to  this  part 
of  the  work.  The  chorus  of  angels  ("  Thus  by  almighty 
power  of  God  ")  proclaims  the  completion  of  the  work, 
and  two  long  solos  by  Abraham  and  Nimrod  lead  up  to 
the  final  choruses  of  the  angels,  people,  and  demons, 
worked  up  in  powerful  style,  and  in  the  Finale  uniting  the 
themes  which  originally  introduced  the  chorus  of  the 
people  and  the  angels,  and  the  subject  of  the  darkness 
in  the  overture. 


RUBINSTEIN  373 

PARADISE  LOST 

The  oratorio  "  Paradise  Lost "  was  first  produced  in 
Vienna,  in  1859,  by  the  Gesellschaft  der  Musikfreunde,  a 
choral  organization  conducted  by  Rubinstein  during  his 
stay  in  that  city.  Like  "  The  Tower  of  Babel,"  it  is  en- 
titled by  the  composer  "  a  sacred  opera,"  though  it  is  in 
genuine  oratorio  form,  and  usually  classed  as  such.  The 
text  is  a  free  transcription  from  Milton.  The  work  is 
divided  into  three  parts ;  but  as  the  second  is  usually  the 
only  part  given  by  oratorio  societies,  our  sketch  will  be  prin- 
cipally confined  to  that.  The  first  part  mainly  concerns 
the  defeat  of  Satan's  forces  by  the  legions  of  heaven,  and 
is  remarkable  for  its  vigorous  instrumental  treatment. 

The  second  part  is  devoted  to  the  creation,  and  is  com- 
posed principally  of  choruses  introduced  by  a  few  bars  of 
recitative,  invariably  for  the  tenor,  who  acts  the  part  of 
narrator.  The  first  seven  of  these  describe  the  crea- 
tion of  the  earth.  After  a  characteristic  introduction,  the 
tenor  declares,  "  Chaos,  be  ended !  "  whereupon  the  an- 
gels sing  a  glowing  tribute  to  light  ("  Upspringing,  the 
darkened  air  broke  forth  into  radiant  brightness  ").  Again 
the  tenor  and  chorus  in  a  brief  number  describe  the  firma- 
ment. The  third  chorus  ("  Fierce  raged  the  billows  ") 
pictures  the  division  of  land  and  water  with  great  vigor, 
accompanied  by  imitative  instrumentation  which  indicates 
Rubinstein's  skill  as  a  water-painter  quite  as  clearly  as  his 
great  Ocean  symphony.  In  the  fourth  and  fifth  choruses 
the  music  vividly  tells  the  story  of  the  creation  of  the  trees 
and  plants  and  the  appearance  of  the  stars  in  the  firma- 
ment. The  sixth  ("  Gently  beaming,  softly  streaming"), 
in  which  the  angels  rejoice  in  the  soft  radiance  of  the 
moon,  is  short,  but  exceedingly  tender  and  beautiful.  In 
the  seventh  ("  All  around  rose  the  sound  of  the  strife  of 
life")  we  have  a  description  of  the  awakening  of  life, 


374     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

characterized  by  extraordinary  descriptive  power.  This 
group  of  choruses,  each  one  thoroughly  fresh,  original, 
and  picturesque  in  its  description,  brings  us  up  to  the 
creation  of  man,  which  is  the  finest  portion  of  the  whole 
work.  It  begins  with  a  long  tenor  recitative  ("  In  all  her 
majesty  shines  on  high  the  heaven "),  reaching  a  fine 
crescendo  at  the  close  ("  And  lo  !  it  was  man  ").  The 
angels  reply  with  their  heavenly  greeting  ("  Hail  to  thee, 
O  man  !  ").  A  short  dialogue  follows  between  Adam  and 
the  narrator,  and  the  angels  renew  their  greeting,  this 
time  to  Eve.  This  leads  up  to  a  lovely  duet  between 
Adam  and  Eve  ("Teach  us  then  to  come  before  Thee"), 
which  is  gracefully  constructed,  and  tenderly  melodious  in 
character.  The  final  number  is  a  chorus  of  the  angels 
("  Clear  resounded  the  trumpets  of  heaven  "),  beginning 
in  broad,  flowing,  jubilant  harmony,  then  developing  into 
a  fugue  on  the  words  "  Praise  the  Almighty  One,"  built 
up  on  a  subject  full  of  exultation  and  grandeur,  and  clos- 
ing with  a  "  Hallelujah  "  delivered  with  mighty  outbursts 
of  power. 

The  third  part  is  devoted  to  the  fall  of  Adam  and  Eve 
and  their  banishment  from  Eden,  closing  with  the  an- 
nouncement of  the  ultimate  salvation  of  mankind.  Both 
the  Almighty  and  Satan  appear  in  this  part,  the  former's 
music  being  sung  by  the  tenor  voice ;  though,  curiously 
enough,  the  latter's  music  is  much  the  more  attractive. 

SYMPHONY  No.  2,  m  C  MAJOR  (OCEAN).     Op.  42 

1.  ALLEGRO  MAESTOSO.       4.   FINALE.    ALLEGRO  CON  FUOCO. 

2.  ADAGIO  NON  TANTO.      5.   ADAGIO.     (SUPPLEMENTARY.) 

3.  SCHERZO.  6.   SCHERZO.    (SUPPLEMENTARY.) 

The  Ocean  symphony,  written  in  1868,  is  dedicated  to 
Franz  Liszt,  the  founder  of  the  programme-music  of  the 
new  school.  Although  generally  considered  that  it  has  no 


ANTON  RUBINSTEIN 


RUBINSTEIN  375 

definitely  pronounced  character  of  tone-painting,  the  writer 
has  it  from  the  lips  of  the  composer  that  the  headings  for 
the  different  movements,  if  he  had  wanted  to  make  use  of 
them,  would  have  been  somewhat  like  this :  First  move- 
ment, wind  and  water ;  Adagio,  an  evening  on  the  ocean  ; 
Scherzo,  dance  of  Tritons  and  Naiads ;  while  the  idea  of 
a  triumphal  procession  of  Neptune  and  his  attendants 
underlies  the  Finale.  With  the  supplementary  numbers 
five  and  six  the  composer  laughingly  remarked,  "  I  am 
trying  to  get  on  dry  land  again."  As  they  are  not  likely 
to  be  performed  in  connection  with  the  symphony,  it  is 
not  necessary  to  consider  them. 

The  opening  movement,  an  Allegro  maestoso  in  C  major, 
begins  with  the  chord  of  the  tonic,  in  a  tremolo  piano  for 
two  measures,  above  which  rises  in  the  third  measure  a 
figure  in  the  flutes  which  sounds  like  the  springing  up  of 
a  gentle  breeze.  Later  on,  this  airy  triplet  figure  is  offset 
by  a  motive  for  the  violins,  which,  by  its  even  motion  of 
quarter  notes  and  the  rise  and  fall  of  its  melody,  seems  to 
portray  the  slow  rolling  of  the  mighty  waves.  But  al- 
though such  outward  signs  are  obvious,  we  cannot  call  this 
music  "  programme-music  "  in  the  sense  that  Liszt  used  the 
thematic  treatment  in  his  symphonic  poems.  It  is  rather 
the  appropriate  expression  of  an  artistic  temperament  fully 
imbued  with  the  grandeur  and  beauty  of  Nature,  in  this 
cnse  the  ocean,  and  foregoing  every  temptation  to  draw  on 
t'.ie  resources  of  mechanical  dexterity  to  astonish  or  coax 
the  public.  The  symphony  breathes  the  spirit  of  Bee- 
thoven ;  and  the  melodic  richness  and  poetic  treatment  of 
the  separate  episodes,  broadening  into  solemn  grandeur 
as  the  movement  proceeds,  place  Rubinstein  in  the  front 
rank  of  the  later  symphonists. 

The  Adagio  non  tanto,  in  E  minor,  common  time,  has 
for  its  leading  theme  a  sombre  and  pathetic  melody. 
Night  has  spread  over  the  water,  and  the  starry  heavens 


376     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

span  the  billowy  deep ;  but  in  the  music  human  interest 
predominates  in  this  solitude  of  Nature.  It  is  the  con- 
templative dreaming  of  the  man,  the  yearning  of  the 
human  heart  for  the  mystery  shrouded  from  mortal  vision 
by  the  vast  expanse,  the  almost  agonized  cry  for  the  solu- 
tion of  the  riddle  of  life,  while  trying  to  pierce  the 
impenetrable  void  between  the  glittering  canopy  of  night 
and  its  dark-faced  mirror.  The  questioning  step  of  the 
major  fourth,  D,  E  flat,  A ;  the  long-sounding  call  of  the 
horn  through  the  still  night ;  and  the  ever-rippling  motion 
in  the  accompaniment,  —  are  expressions  of  the  poetic 
nature  of  the  composer  through  a  medium  as  natural  to 
him  as  human  speech. 

The  third  movement,  or  Scherzo,  is  an  Allegro  in  | 
time,  in  G  major,  and  displays  the  rollicking  sport  of  the 
sea-people.  The  ponderous  gyrations  of  the  basses  at  the 
opening  may  represent  the  sports  of  Tritons  or  sailors. 
The  accompaniment  is  full  of  original  force  and  humor, 
often  broad,  and  at  times  unrestrained,  and  displaying  a 
certain  barbaric  trait  in  the  composer.  Frequent  hearing 
or  thorough  study,  however,  will  reveal  a  dexterity  in  the 
handling  of  the  profuse  material  scattered  throughout  the 
movement  not  often  found  in  Rubinstein. 

The  Finale,  Allegro  con  fuoco,  in  the  step  of  the  third  in 
the  first  motive,  has  the  germ  of  pompous  festivity,  which, 
although  relieved  by  strains  of  a  quieter  character,  domi- 
nates the  whole  movement,  and  reaches  its  climax  in  a 
grand  chorale.  The  trombones  carry  the  noble  hymn 
through  the  agitation  of  roaring  waves,  which  storm 
against  it  in  the  rushing  figures  of  the  violins,  and  bring 
this  grand  ocean  poem  to  an  imposing  and  befitting  close. 


RUBINSTEIN  377 


SYMPHONY  No.  4,  IN  D  MINOR  (DRAMATIC).     Op.  95 

1.  LENTO.    ALLEGRO  MODERATO. 

2.  PRESTO.    ALLEGRO  MA  NOW  TROPPO. 

3.  ADAGIO. 

4.  LARGO.  ALLEGRO  CON  FUOCO. 

The  Dramatic  symphony,  next  to  the  "  Ocean  "  the 
greatest  of  Rubinstein's  works  of  this  kind,  was  written  in 
1875,  and  first  produced  at  a  concert  given  by  the  St. 
Petersburg  Conservatory  in  that  year.  It  is  written  for 
full  orchestra,  thus  placing  the  most  complete  resources  in 
the  hands  of  the  composer ;  and  in  technical  skill,  boldness 
of  treatment,  and  largeness  of  conception  is  a  master- 
piece of  musical  art.  It  illustrates  no  particular  pro- 
gramme, like  the  "  Ocean,"  but  is  evidently  intended  to 
impress  the  emotions  of  the  hearer  through  the  agency  of 
music  in  the  same  manner  as  the  hearer  would  be  in- 
fluenced by  the  progress  of  a  drama.  To  accomplish  this 
the  composer  has  given  free  rein  to  his  fancy  and  moods, 
and  uses  strange,  melodic  forms,  eccentric  rhythms,  and 
unusual  changes  of  tempo  ad  libitum. 

The  first  movement,  Lento,  developing  to  Allegro 
moderate,  is  essentially  tragic  in  its  style,  though  its 
themes  are  simple,  despite  their  elaborate  treatment  and 
its  intrinsic  difficulties.  The  introduction,  Lento,  opens 
with  a  theme  given  out  by  the  bass  strings  in  unison.  It 
is  subjected  to  an  ingenious  variety  of  treatment,  passing 
from  instrument  to  instrument  and  repeated  in  many  com- 
binations, finally  leading  up  to  the  Allegro  moderato,  or 
real  opening  of  the  movement.  It  begins  with  a  theme 
which  is  developed  in  a  truly  dramatic  manner,  speaking 
out  in  interjectory  phrases,  fragmentary  episodes,  and  even 
sharp  dissonances,  rather  than  in  a  smooth,  flowing  ex- 
pression of  musical  thought,  and  leading  up  to  a  short 
prelude  consisting  of  a  gentle  strain  sung  by  the  clarinet, 


378     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

with  accompaniment  by  the  strings  and  introducing  the 
second  theme,  a  stately  melody  given  out  by  the  horns 
and  bassoons  and  answered  by  the  strings,  —  a  struggle,  as 
it  were,  between  hope  and  doubt.  These  two  themes  are 
skilfully  combined  with  other  matter,  and  prepare  the  way 
for  the  introduction  of  still  another  broad  and  heroic 
theme,  which  closes  the  first  part  of  the  movement.  The 
development  of  the  remainder  of  the  movement  is  mas- 
terly. There  are  allusions  to  all  the  themes.  Sometimes 
they  appear  in  sharp  conflict,  and  again  are  involved  with 
fresh  thematic  ideas.  As  the  movement  draws  to  its  close, 
startling  dissonances  and  complicated  chromatic  passages 
occur,  but  they  finally  resolve  themselves,  and  the  principal 
themes  are  asserted  with  unmistakable  force  and  expres- 
sion, continually  increasing  in  energy  to  the  end. 

The  second  movement,  Presto,  begins  with  short,  sharp 
signals  and  intervening  pauses,  introducing  a  furious  but 
rhythmical  theme  which  dominates  the  whole  movement. 
In  the  Moderate  assai  a  violin  solo  of  a  grotesque  charac- 
ter occurs.  This  and  other  episodes  of  a  somewhat  ec- 
centric character  give  variety  to  the  first  part.  The 
furious  Presto  soon  returns  to  give  place  to  a  delicate  and 
pleasing  trio  based  upon  two  principal  subjects,  accom- 
panied by  several  melodic  figures  which  play  an  important 
part  in  the  development.  The  Presto  is  then  repeated, 
and  a  phrase  from  the  trio  forms  the  coda. 

The  Adagio  is  a  simple,  beautiful  movement,  in  striking 
contrast  with  what  has  preceded  it.  It  has  three  princi- 
pal themes,  —  the  first  given  out  by  the  violins,  the  second 
by  the  'cellos,  and  the  third  again  by  the  violins.  It 
opens  with  an  exquisitely  tender  and  graceful  melody, 
developed  in  a  delightfully  harmonious  manner  and  finally 
giving  way  to  the  second  theme,  equally  beautiful,  but 
more  energetic.  At  its  close  the  opening  theme  is  again 
heard,  first  stated  by  the  horns  and  then  as  a  clarinet 


RUBINSTEIN  379 

solo,  with  string  accompaniment.  At  its  conclusion  a 
third  subject  appears,  given  out  by  the  violins.  The 
elaboration  of  these  themes  is  accompanied  by  a  chorale- 
like  strain  for  the  bass  strings,  which  gives  a  religious  tone 
to  the  close. 

The  Finale  opens  with  an  introductory  Largo  for  full 
orchestra,  at  the  close  of  which  the  Allegro  con  fuoco 
enters  with  furious  energy  upon  a  theme  for  all  the  strings 
in  unison,  followed  by  an  auxiliary  subject,  which  is  hardly 
more  than  stated  before  the  first  theme  returns,  this  time 
the  melody  being  in  the  basses,  and  the  violin  accom- 
panying. These  two  subjects  are  elaborately  developed, 
the  energetic  character  of  the  movement  being  always 
preserved.  During  their  development  a  new  phrase  ap- 
pears for  the  violins,  which  is  treated  in  ingenious  varia- 
tions. The  remainder  of  the  movement  is  occupied  with 
the  broad  and  dignified  treatment  of  the  thematic  material 
with  numerous  episodes  interwoven.  It  flows  on  with  re- 
sistless force,  constantly  gathering  fresh  energy  as  new 
ideas  are  added,  and  finally  closes  with  a  triumphant  out- 
burst in  which  the  principal  subject  is  heard  again  assert- 
ing its  superiority. 


SAINT-SAENS 

1835- 

CHRISTMAS  ORATORIO 

"  "VTOEL,"  Saint-Saens'  Christmas  oratorio,  in  dimen- 
.L^l  sions  hardly  exceeds  the  limits  of  a  cantata,  but 
musically  is  constructed  in  oratorio  style.  Its  subject  is  the 
nativity,  combined  with  ascriptions  of  praise  and  a  final 
exultant  hallelujah.  The  work  is  short,  but  effective,  and 
is  written  for  five  solo  voices  and  chorus,  with  accompani- 
ment of  strings  and  organ,  and  the  harp  in  one  number.  It 
opens  with  a  pastoral  symphony  of  a  melodious  character. 
The  first  number  is  the  recitative  ("  And  there  were  shep- 
herds "),  including  the  angelic  message  and  the  appearance 
of  the  heavenly  hosts,  the  subject  being  divided  among  the 
tenor,  alto,  soprano,  and  barytone,  and  leading  up  to  the 
first  chorus  ("  Glory  now  unto  God  in  the  highest  "),  which 
is  quite  short,  but  beautifully  written.  The  next  number 
is  an  aria  for  mezzo-soprano  ("  Firm  in  faith  "),  which  is 
simple,  but  graceful  in  its  melody.  The  fourth  number  is 
a  tenor  solo  and  chorus  ("God  of  all"),  written  in  the 
church  style,  followed  by  a  soprano  and  barytone  duet 
("Blessed,  ever  blessed"),  which  is  elaborate  in  its  con- 
struction, and  highly  colored.  The  next  number  is  the 
chorus  ("Wherefore  are  the  nations  raging?"),  which  is 
intensely  dramatic  in  its  effect,  especially  for  the  manner 
in  which  the  voice  parts  are  set  off  against  the  agitated 
accompaniment.  The  contrasts  also  are  striking,  particu- 
larly that  between  the  tumultuous  opening  of  the  chorus 
and  its  tranquil  close  in  full  harmony  on  the  words  "As 


SAINT-SAENS  381 

it  was  in  the  beginning."  The  next  number  is  a  lovely 
trio  for  tenor,  soprano,  and  barytone  ("  Thou  art  from  first 
to  last"),  with  harp  accompaniment  throughout,  which 
gives  to  it  an  extremely  graceful  and  elegant  effect.  It  is 
followed  by  a  quartette  ("  Alleluia  "),  in  which  the  theme  is 
introduced  by  the  alto.  The  Alleluia  is  then  taken  up  by 
all  four  parts,  soprano,  mezzo-soprano,  alto,  and  barytone, 
in  full,  rich  harmony,  the  alto  closing  the  number  alone  in 
an  effective  adagio  passage.  The  next  number  is  a  quintet 
and  chorus,  the  prelude  to  which  is  a  repetition  of  parts  of 
the  opening  pastoral.  It  is  also  utilized  in  the  voice  parts. 
The  number  is  very  elaborate  in  its  construction  and  devel- 
opment, and  is  followed  by  a  short  final  chorus  ("  Raise 
now  your  song  on  high  ")  in  simple  church  style. 

ROUET   d'OMPHALE.       OP.    3! 

The  symphonic  poem,  "  Rouet  d'Omphale  "  ("  Om- 
phale's  Spinning-wheel  "),  illustrates  the  old  story  of  Her- 
cules serving  as  slave  to  the  Lydian  queen,  and  running 
her  spinning-wheel  in  female  attire  by  her  side.  The  com- 
position is  in  sonatina  form,  and  quite  short,  but  exceed- 
ingly naive  and  graceful.  It  begins  with  a  characteristic 
imitation  of  the  wheel  by  the  violins  in  a  well-known  figure. 
The  second  motive,  a  sombre  melody  in  the  bass,  charac- 
terizes the  lamenting,  groaning  Hercules ;  but  Omphale 
soon  sets  him  at  work  again,  and  the  wheel  resumes  its 
lively,  characteristic  rhythm.  The  poem  is  vivacious  and 
elegant  throughout,  and  a  good  illustration  of  Saint-Saens' 
cleverness  in  instrumentation. 

PHAETON.    OP.  35 

The  symphonic  poem  of  "  Phaeton  "  has  for  its  story 
the  legend  of  the  unfortunate  amateur  charioteer  of  the 
sun,  who,  having  obtained  permission  to  drive  the  fiery 


382     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

steeds,  approaches  so  near  the  earth  that  it  is  only  saved 
from  destruction  by  Jupiter,  who  interposes  with  a  timely 
thunderbolt,  and  hurls  the  reckless  driver  into  the  outer 
limbo.  It  begins  with  a  bright,  pleasant  melody,  the  driver 
evidently  contemplating  an  agreeable  journey.  Soon  an- 
other theme  comes  in ;  the  chariot  is  taking  an  upward 
flight.  Anon  he  loses  his  course,  and  the  first  theme 
appears  with  significant  chromatic  changes.  His  inde- 
cision, fear,  and  despair  are  clearly  indicated  in  the  un- 
certain, abrupt,  and  wandering  character  of  the  music.  At 
last  Jupiter  settles  matters  with  an  outburst  of  trumpets ; 
and  the  poem  closes  with  the  second  theme  in  dirge  form, 
singing  a  lament  for  the  unfortunate  victim  of  over-curiosity 
and  confidence. 


DANSE  MACABRE.     OP.  40 

The  "  Danse  Macabre,"  or  "  Dance  of  Death,"  does 
not,  as  might  be  supposed,  follow  the  well-known  epi- 
sodes which  Holbein's  pictures  have  made  so  familiar, 
but  is  based  upon  a  grotesque  poem  by  Henri  Cazalis, 
beginning  "  Zig  et  zig  et  zig,  la  Mort  en  cadence." 
Death  is  described  as  a  fiddler,  summoning  the  skeletons 
from  their  graves  at  midnight  for  a  dance,  the  hour  being 
indicated  on  the  harp.  The  ghastly  merriment,  interrupted 
by  some  sombre  strains,  is  kept  up  until  the  cock  crows, 
the  signal  for  the  instant  disappearance  of  the  grim  and 
clattering  revellers.  The  poem  is  based  upon  two  themes, 
—  one  in  dance  measure,  punctuated  with  the  clack  of 
bones,  and  the  other  a  more  serious  strain,  symbolical  of 
night  and  the  loneliness  of  the  grave.  The  variations  upon 
these  two  themes  continue  until  the  cock-crow,  given  out 
by  the  oboe,  sounds  the  signal  for  the  close.  The  poem, 
in  a  word,  is  a  waltz  measure  set  off  with  grotesque,  but 
ingenious  instrumentation. 


•^ 

*, 


CAMILLE  SAINT-SAENS 


SAINT-SAENS  383 


SYMPHONY  No.  3,  IN  A  MINOR.     OP.  55 

1.  ALLEGRO  MARCATO.    ALLEGRO  PASSIONATO. 

2.  ADAGIO. 

3.  SCHERZO.    PRESTO. 

4.  PRESTISSIMO. 

Saint-Saens'  Third  symphony,  dedicated  to  the  late 
M.  Pasdeloup,  the  eminent  Parisian  conductor,  was  writ- 
ten in  1878.  It  is  scored  for  full  orchestra,  except  trom- 
bones, and  is  characterized  by  the  gracefulness  rather  than 
the  depth  of  its  ideas.  Two  strong  chords  leading  to  an 
animated  passage  for  the  strings,  which  is  recitative  in  its 
style,  and  a  short  episode  lead  to  the  first  theme,  Allegro 
passionate,  given  out  by  the  violins,  which,  after  imitation 
by  the  other  strings,  gives  place  to  the  second  theme.  The 
two  subjects  are  then  ingeniously  and  spiritedly  combined. 
After  the  inversion  of  the  second,  forming  a  new  melody, 
a  third  subject  appears  for  flute  and  strings.  The  three 
are  then  combined  in  various  positions  until  the  first  re- 
appears. The  second  is  used  episodically.  There  are 
reminiscences  of  the  Introduction,  and  a  coda  formed 
out  of  the  third  closes  the  movement. 

The  Adagio  is  a  charming  movement,  graceful,  delicate, 
and  sweet,  though  short.  It  is  built  up  on  two  themes, 
—  the  first  of  a  pastoral  character,  for  the  strings,  con 
sordini;  and  the  second  for  the  English  horn,  with 
strings,  this  instrument  being  used  with  peculiarly  happy 
effect. 

The  Adagio  is  in  the  major  key,  but  the  Scherzo  returns 
to  the  minor.  There  is  no  seriousness  in  the  movement, 
however.  It  opens  with  a  lively,  piquant  theme,  which 
after  varied  repetitions  gives  place  to  a  second  theme,  in- 
troduced by  the  horns  and  taken  up  by  the  strings  and 
oboes.  The  first  theme  is  repeated,  and  leads  to  a  solo 


384     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

for  the  oboe.  The  development  of  this  material  is 
skilful,  and  with  a  vigorous  pizzicato,  accompanied  by 
the  wind  instruments  in  sustained  chords,  the  movement 
closes. 

The  final  movement,  Prestissimo,  is  rightly  characterized. 
It  is  an  exhilarating  dance  rhythm  of  the  Saltarello  order, 
starting  off  with  a  theme  for  the  first  violins,  accompanied 
by  the  other  strings  pizzicato.  The  vigorous  skipping  mel- 
ody is  followed  by  a  second  theme  which  preserves  the 
same  rhythm.  The  two  are  then  combined  in  a  diversity 
of  styles,  and  gather  fresh  interest  as  the  horns  take  up  the 
merry  effect,  the  piccolo  doing  good  service  with  the  mel- 
ody. After  a  slower  episode  the  first  theme  reappears  and 
goes  skipping  off  again  in  its  spirited  dance.  In  the  coda, 
the  second  theme  is  heard  in  unison  among  the  strings, 
and  with  a  few  strong,  harmonious  chords  the  symphony 
closes. 


SYMPHONY  No.  5,  IN  C  MINOR.     OP.  78 

1.  ADAGIO.    ALLEGRO  MODERATO.    Poco  ADAGIO. 

2.  ALLEGRO  MODERATO.    PRESTO.    MAESTOSO.    ALLEGRO. 

Saint-Saens'  Fifth  symphony  was  written  for  the  Lon- 
don Philharmonic  Society;  and  its  first  performance, 
July  19,  1886,  was  conducted  by  the  composer  himself. 
For  this  occasion  the  composer  prepared  an  analysis  of 
its  contents  and  structure  for  the  programme,  which  is  fol- 
lowed in  this  analysis.  After  a  slow  and  plaintive  introduc- 
tion for  violins  and  oboes,  the  string  quartette  gives  out 
the  first  theme,  sombre  and  agitated  in  character,  which, 
after  transformation  by  the  wind  instruments,  leads  to  a 
second  subject,  marked  by  greater  repose.  After  a  short 
development,  presenting  the  two  themes  simultaneously, 
the  second  reappears  in  new  and  striking  form,  though  brief 
in  its  duration.  This  is  followed  by  a  fresh  transformation 


SAINT-SAENS  385 

of  the  first  theme,  through  the  restlessness  of  which 
are  heard  at  intervals  the  plaintive  notes  of  the  opening 
Adagio.  Various  episodes,  introducing  a  gradual  feeling 
of  repose,  lead  to  the  Adagio,  in  D  flat,  the  subject  of 
which  is  given  out  by  the  violins,  violas,  and  'cellos,  sus- 
tained by  organ  chords.  It  is  then  assigned  to  clarinets, 
horn,  and  trombone,  accompanied  by  the  divided  strings. 
After  a  fanciful  and  elaborate  violin  variation,  the  second 
transformation  of  the  initial  theme  of  the  Allegro  reap- 
pears, restoring  the  old  restlessness,  which  is  still  further 
augmented  by  dissonant  harmonies.  The  principal  theme 
of  the  Adagio  then  returns,  this  time  played  by  a  violin, 
viola,  and  'cello  solo,  accompanied  by  the  chords  of  the 
organ  and  the  persistent  rhythm  in  triplets  of  the  preceding 
episodes.  The  movement  closes  with  a  coda,  "  mystical  in 
sentiment,"  says  the  composer. 

The  second  movement,  Allegro  moderate,  opens  with  a 
vigorous  figure,  which  is  at  once  followed  by  a  third  trans- 
formation of  the  initial  theme  of  the  first  movement,  in 
more  agitated  style  than  the  others,  and  limited  to  a  fan- 
tastic character,  which  declares  itself  in  a  tumultuous 
Presto,  through  which  flash  at  intervals  the  arpeggios  and 
rapid  scale  passages  of  the  pianoforte,  accompanied  by  a 
syncopated  rhythm  in  the  orchestra,  and  interrupted  at 
last  by  an  expressive  motive.  After  the  repetition  of  the 
Allegro  moderato,  a  second  Presto  is  introduced,  in  which 
shortly  appears  a  calm,  earnest  figure  for  trombones,  in 
striking  contrast  with  the  fantastic  character  of  the  first 
Presto.  There  is  an  evident  conflict  between  the  two, 
ending  in  the  defeat  of  the  latter;  and  after  a  vague 
reminiscence  of  the  initial  theme  of  the  first  movement,  a 
Maestoso,  C  minor,  announces  the  ultimate  triumph  of 
the  new  and  earnest  figure.  The  initial  theme  of  the  first 
movement  in  its  new  form  is  next  stated  by  the  divided 
strings  and  the  pianoforte,  four  hands,  and  taken  up  by 


386     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

organ  and  full  orchestra.  After  development  in  three-bar 
rhythm,  there  is  an  episode  for  organ,  followed  by  a  pas- 
toral theme  twice  repeated.  A  coda,  in  which  the  initial 
theme  by  a  last  transformation  appears  as  a  violin  passage, 
finishes  this  unique  work. 


SCHUBERT 

1797  - 1828 

MIRIAM'S  WAR  SONG 

THE  majestic  cantata,  "Miriam's  War  Song,"  was 
written  in  March,  1828,  the  last  year  of  Schubert's 
life,  —  a  year  which  was  rich,  however,  in  the  productions 
of  his  genius.  The  work  is  for  soprano  solo  and  chorus, 
the  words  by  the  poet  Grillparzer,  and  the  accompaniment, 
for  the  piano,  as  Schubert  left  it.  He  had  intended  ar- 
ranging it  for  orchestra,  but  did  not  live  to  complete  it. 
The  work,  however,  was  done  a  year  or  two  afterwards  by 
his  friend  Franz  Lachner,  at  that  time  officiating  as  Capell- 
meister  at  the  Karnthnerthor  Theatre  in  Vienna. 

The  theme  of  the  cantata  is  Miriam's  hymn  of  praise 
for  the  escape  of  the  Israelites,  and  the  exultant  song  of 
victory  by  the  people,  rejoicing  not  alone  at  their  own 
delivery,  but  at  the  destruction  of  the  enemy.  It  opens 
with  a  spirited  and  broad  harmony  ("Strike  the  cym- 
bals "),  changing  to  a  calm  and  graceful  song,  describing 
the  Lord  as  a  shepherd  leading  his  people  forth  from 
Egypt.  The  next  number,  depicting  the  awe  of  the  Is- 
raelites as  they  passed  through  the  divided  waters,  the 
approach  of  Pharaoh's  hosts,  and  their  destruction,  is 
worked  up  with  great  power.  As  the  sea  returns  to  its 
calm  again  the  opening  chorus  is  repeated,  closing  with  a 
powerful  fugue.  The  cantata  is  short,  but  it  is  a  work  of 
imperishable  beauty. 


j88     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 


SYMPHONY  No.  8,  m  B  MINOR  (UNFINISHED) 

1.  ALLEGRO  MODERATO. 

2.  ANDANTE  CON  MOTO. 

Schubert's  Eighth  symphony  is  but  a  fragment.  The 
first  two  movements  are  complete.  There  are  nine  bars 
of  a  Scherzo,  and  with  them  the  symphony  stops;  and 
yet  among  all  of  the  composer's  works  not  one  is  more 
beautiful  in  ideas  or  perfect  in  form  than  this.  No  more 
of  it  has  ever  been  found,  and  no  one  knows  why  Schubert 
should  have  abandoned  it.  The  first  page  of  the  score  is 
dated,  "  Vienna,  October  30,  1822."  For  forty-five  years 
it  remained  unknown,  and  it  is  due  to  Sir  George  Grove 
that  it  was  rescued  from  its  obscurity  and  given  to  the 
world  for  its  constantly  increasing  delight.  The  score  was 
published  in  1867,  and  the  first  performance  was  given  at 
the  Crystal  Palace,  London,  on  the  sixth  of  April  in  the 
same  year.  Since  that  time  the  symphony  has  become  one 
of  the  favorite  numbers  on  the  concert-stage. 

The  Allegro  opens  at  once  and  without  introduction 
with  an  impressive  subject  given  out  by  the  'cellos  and 
basses.  At  its  close  the  oboes  and  clarinets  take  up  a 
melodious  theme  pianissimo,  the  violins  accompanying  it 
in  an  agitated  manner.  After  a  short  development  of  this 
theme  the  'cellos  enter  with  a  melody  which  will  never 
cease  to  fascinate  the  hearer  with  its  wonderful  beauty 
and  grace  of  motion.  After  its  repetition  by  the  violins 
in  octaves  there  comes  a  pause  followed  by  a  most  pas- 
sionate declaration  in  the  minor,  as  if  to  drown  the  mem- 
ory of  the  former  moment  of  happiness.  The  beautiful 
theme  again  returns,  however,  and  the  first  part  of  the 
movement  closes  with  a  struggle  between  these  expres- 
sions of  perfect  happiness  and  wild  passion.  The  second 
part  opens  with  the  original  subject  varied  for  the  basses, 


FRANZ  SCHUBERT 


SCHUBERT  389 

which  is  grandly  developed  amid  full  orchestral  outbursts 
up  to  a  powerful  climax.  As  it  dies  away  the  first  theme 
reenters,  and  is  again  treated  with  charming  variety,  the 
whole  closing  with  another  climax  in  which  the  opening 
subject  forms  the  material  of  the  coda. 

The  Andante  begins  with  an  introductory  passage  for 
the  horns  and  bassoons,  the  double-basses  accompanying 
pizzicato,  leading  up  to  another  lovely  theme  given  out  by 
the  violins.  After  a  striking  development  of  this  theme 
the  second  subject  is  stated  by  the  clarinets  with  string  ac- 
companiment, repeated  by  the  oboe  with  the  addition  of  a 
new  phrase,  in  which  the  flute  joins.  The  whole  orchestra 
follows  with  stately  harmony,  succeeded  by  an  episode 
which  leads  up  to  a  new  treatment  of  the  second  theme 
by  the  strings.  Then  follows  the  customary  repetition  in 
brilliant  detail.  The  coda  is  full  of  melodious  beauty,  and 
closes  this  delightful  work. 


SYMPHONY  No.  9,  IN  C  MAJOR 

1.  ANDANTE.    ALLEGRO  MA  NON  TROPPO. 

2.  ANDANTE  CON  MOTO. 

3.  SCHERZO.    ALLEGRO  VIVACK. 

4.  FINALE.    ALLEGRO  VIVACE. 

The  Symphony  in  C,  the  last  and  culminating  work  of 
Schubert's  genius,  is  literally  his  swan  song.  It  was  begun 
in  March,  1828,  and  on  the  nineteenth  of  November  of  the 
same  year  he  passed  away.  On  the  twelfth  of  December 
following  his  death,  it  was  produced  at  the  Redouten-Saal 
in  Vienna,  and  was  repeated  in  the  ensuing  March.  It 
was  then  neglected  and  forgotten  until  1838,  in  which  year 
Schumann  visited  Vienna,  and  finding  the  score,  obtained 
permission  to  take  it  with  him.  He  at  once  went  to 
Leipsic,  where  Mendelssohn  was  at  that  time  conducting 
the  Gewandhaus  conceits,  and  together  the  two  friends 


390     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

and  composers  studied  it.  It  did  not  take  them  long  to 
discover  its  beauty,  notwithstanding  its  length.  It  was 
performed  at  the  Gewandhaus,  March  22,  1839. 

The  first  movement  opens  with  an  introductory  Andante, 
the  tender,  fairy-like  melody  of  which  is  assigned  to  the 
horns  alone,  afterward  repeated  by  oboes  and  clarinets. 
After  working  up  at  some  length  a  start  is  made  pianis- 
simo, and  a  grand  crescendo,  enlivened  by  a  triplet  figure, 
leads  to  the  Allegro,  the  strings  giving  out  the  bold,  deci- 
sive first  theme  answered  by  the  winds  in  triplets.  The 
second  theme,  stated  by  the  oboes  and  bassoons,  is  in 
striking  contrast  with  the  first,  and  really  establishes  the 
rhythm  of  the  movement.  An  episode  growing  out  of 
this  theme,  and  a  third  broad  subject  in  which  the  trom- 
bones are  employed  with  striking  effect,  constitute  the 
principal  material  of  the  movement.  The  coda  is  long 
and  copious,  closing  in  rather  accelerated  tempo  marked 
by  a  repetition  of  the  triplet  figure  of  the  initial  theme. 

The  Andante  opens  with  a  short  prelude  for  the  strings, 
after  which  the  oboe  starts  off  with  the  first  theme,  —  a 
quaint,  plaintive,  bewitching  strain  which  has  every  char- 
acteristic of  gypsy  music,  closing  with  a  significant  four- 
note  cadence  which  seems  to  have  haunted  Schubert 
throughout  the  rest  of  the  work.  The  theme  is  repeated 
with  variation  and  the  addition  of  the  clarinet,  after  which 
the  oboe  gives  out  a  new  phrase  succeeded  by  an  episode 
of  an  agitated,  even  furious,  character,  after  which  the 
fascinating  first  theme  returns.  The  second  subject,  enter- 
ing pianissimo,  is  ingeniously  treated,  and  closes  with  a 
charming  horn  episode.  The  opening  subject  then  re- 
turns, this  time  for  oboe,  which  soon  plays  its  part  as 
accompaniment  for  a  charming  solo  passage  for  the  'cello. 
A  change  of  key,  and  the  second  subject  returns  with  fresh 
treatment.  The  horn  episode  is  heard  again,  and  the 
movement  closes  with  the  fascinating  opening  theme. 


SCHUBERT  391 

The  Scherzo  starts  with  a  unison  passage  for  strings, 
followed  by  a  boisterous  episode  for  the  oboes  and  horns, 
in  which  the  four  beats  already  alluded  to  make  themselves 
felt.  The  second  subject,  given  out  by  the  strings,  with 
accompaniment  of  clarinets  and  bassoons,  is  light  and 
playful  in  character.  The  trio  opens  with  horns  and 
clarinets,  leading  to  a  broad  melody  for  the  winds,  with 
string  accompaniment,  producing  a  brilliant  orchestral 
effect ;  and  with  the  Scherzo,  da  capo,  the  movement 
closes. 

The  Finale  crowns  this  extraordinary  work  with  a  fitting 
climax,  impetuous  and  resistless  in  its  rush,  with  the  four 
beats  asserting  themselves  all  through  it.  After  an  intro- 
duction of  a  most  energetic  and  sonorous  character,  the 
first  theme  is  announced  by  the  oboes  and  bassoons,  with 
the  violins  accompanying  in  triplets  of  fiery  velocity.  The 
second  theme  is  led  off  by  the  horns,  the  violins  still  in 
the  mad,  impetuous  sweep  of  their  triplets,  and  the  first 
half  of  the  movement  closes  with  a  working-out  of  part  of 
the  second  theme.  The  second  part  is  fiery  in  its  energy, 
and  closes  with  an  immense  crescendo,  beginning  with  the 
violas,  double  pianissimo,  and  spreading  over  one  hundred 
and  sixty-four  measures  before  coming  to  a  final  rest. 


SCHUMANN 

1810-1856 

ADVENT  HYMN 

THE  "  Advent  Hymn  "  describes  the  entry  of  Christ 
into  Jerusalem,  reflectively  considers  His  peaceful 
career  as  compared  with  that  of  earthly  kings,  and  appeals 
to  His  servants  to  bear  tidings  of  Him  throughout  the 
world,  closing  with  a  prayer  that  He  will  bring  His  peace 
to  all  its  people.  It  is  a  hymn  full  of  simple  devotion  and 
somewhat  narrow  in  its  limitations ;  but  Schumann  has 
treated  it  with  all  the  dignity  and  breadth  of  the  oratorio 
style.  It  opens  with  a  melodious  soprano  solo  ("  In  lowly 
guise  thy  King  appeareth"),  with  choral  responses  by 
sopranos  and  altos,  leading  to  an  effective  five-part  chorus 
("  O  King  indeed,  though  no  man  hail  Thee"),  begun 
by  first  and  second  tenors  and  basses,  and  closing  in  full 
harmony  with  the  added  female  voices.  The  soprano  voice 
again  announces  a  subject  ("Thy  servants  faithful,  tid- 
ings bearing  "),  which  is  taken  up  by  full  chorus,  in  some- 
what involved  form,  though  closing  in  plain  harmony. 
The  third  number  ("  When  Thou  the  stormy  sea  art 
crossing")  is  given  out  by  the  soprano  and  repeated  by 
the  female  chorus  with  a  charming  pianissimo  effect.  A 
few  bars  for  male  chorus  ("  Lord  of  grace  and  truth  un- 
failing ")  lead  into  full  chorus.  The  fifth  number  ("  Need 
is  there  for  Thyself  returning"),  also  choral,  is  very 
elaborately  treated  with  interchanging  harmonies  and  bold 
rhythms,  leading  up  to  the  final  choruses,  which  are  intri- 
cate in  construction,  but  at  the  close  resolve  into  a  double 
chorus  of  great  power  and  genuine  religious  exaltation. 


SCHUMANN  393 

THE  PILGRIMAGE  OF  THE  ROSE 

"The  Pilgrimage  of  the  Rose,"  for  solo  and  chorus, 
with  piano  accompaniment,  twenty-four  numbers,  was 
written  in  the  Spring  of  1851,  and  was  first  performed 
May  6,  1852,  at  a  Diisseldorf  subscription  concert.  The 
story  is  taken  from  a  somewhat  vapid  fairy  tale  by  Moritz 
Horn,  and  has  little  point  or  meaning.  It  turns  upon 
the  commonplace  adventures  of  a  young  girl  whose  origin 
is  disclosed  by  a  rose  which  is  never  to  fall  from  her  hand. 

The  principal  numbers  are  the  opening  song,  a  joyous 
hymn  to  Spring,  in  canon  form,  for  two  sopranos;  the 
dancing  choruses  of  the  elves,  for  two  sopranos  and  alto ; 
the  male  chorus  ("  In  the  thick  wood"),  which  is  delight- 
ful in  harmony;  the  exultant  bridal  songs  ("Why  sound 
the  horns  so  gayly?"  and  "Now  at  the  miller's"); 
the  duet  ("  In  the  smiling  valley,  'mid  the  trees  so 
green");  the  "grave  song;"  the  quartette  ("Oh,  joy! 
foretaste  of  heaven's  rest ")  ;  and  the  duet  ("  I  know  a 
blushing  rosebud  "). 

The  work  as  a  whole  has  never  attained  the  popularity 
of  "  Paradise  and  the  Peri,"  though  detached  numbers 
from  it  are  frequently  given  with  great  success.  The 
inadequacy  of  the  poem  has  much  to  do  with  this ;  and 
it  must  also  be  remembered  that  it  was  written  at  a  time 
when  Schumann's  powers  had  begun  to  weaken  under  the 
strain  of  the  mental  disorder  which  finally  proved  fatal. 

THE  MINSTREL'S  CURSE 

"  The  Minstrel's  Curse,"  for  solo  voice,  chorus  and  or- 
chestra, was  written  in  1852,  and  first  performed  in  the 
same  year.  Its  text  is  based  upon  Uhland's  beautiful  bal- 
lad of  the  same  name,  which  was  adapted  for  the  com- 
poser by  Richard  Pohl.  The  libretto  shows  numerous 


394     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

variations  from  the  original  text.  Some  of  the  verses  are 
literally  followed,  others  are  changed,  and  many  new  songs 
and  motives  are  introduced.  Several  of  Uhland's  other 
ballads  are  assigned  to  the  minstrel,  the  youth,  and  the 
queen,  among  them  "  Die  drei  Lieder,"  "  Entsagung,"  and 
"  Hohe  Liebe,"  as  well  as  extracts  from  "  Rudello,"  "  Lied 
des  Deutschen  Sangers,"  "  Gesang  und  Krieg,"  and  "  Das 
Thai."  Instead  of  the  beautiful  verse  in  the  original  poem 
("  They  sing  of  spring  and  love,  of  happy  golden  youth  "), 
which  leads  up  to  the  tragedy,  it  is  the  singing  of  the 
"  Hohe  Liebe  "  which  is  made  the  motive  by  Pohl,  who 
from  this  point  on  follows  the  story  as  told  by  Uhland. 

The  work  contains  fourteen  numbers.  The  first  two 
verses,  describing  the  castle  and  its  haughty  monarch,  are 
sung  by  the  narrator,  and  are  followed  by  an  alto  solo, 
bright  and  joyous  in  style,  which  tells  of  the  arrival  of  the 
two  minstrels.  The  fourth  number  is  a  Provencal  song, 
full  of  grace  and  poetical  feeling,  sung  by  the  youth,  fol- 
lowed by  full  chorus.  The  king  angrily  interposes  in  the 
next  number  ("  Enough  of  Spring  and  pleasure  "),  where- 
upon the  harper  sings  a  beautiful  ballad  interpolated  by 
the  librettist.  The  queen  follows  with  a  quiet,  soothing 
strain,  appealing  for  further  songs,  and  in  reply  the  youth 
and  harper  once  more  sing  of  spring.  The  youth's  power- 
ful song  of  love,  which  changes  to  a  trio  in  the  close,  the 
queen  and  harper  joining,  indicates  the  coming  tragedy, 
and  from  this  number  on  the  chorus  spiritedly  follows  the 
story  as  told  by  Uhland.  The  general  style  of  the  work 
is  declamatory,  but  in  many  of  its  episodes  the  ballad  form 
is  used  with  great  skill  and  effect. 

PARADISE  AND  THE  PERI 

Schumann's  secular  oratorio,  "  Paradise  and  the  Peri," 
was  written  in  1843,  and  first  performed  at  the  Ge- 
wandhaus,  Leipsic,  December  4  of  that  year,  under  the 


SCHUMANN 


395 


composer's  own  direction.  Its  first  performance  in  Eng- 
land was  given  June  23,  1856,  with  Madame  Jenny  Lind- 
Goldschmidt  in  the  part  of  the  Peri,  Sterndale  Itennett 
conducting.  The  text  is  taken  from  the  second  poem  in 
Moore's  "  Lalla  Rookh,"  and  was  suggested  to  Schumann 
by  his  friend  Emil  Flechsig,  who  had  translated  the  poem. 
This  was  in  1841 ;  but  he  did  not  set  it  to  music  until  two 
years  later. 

The  oratorio  is  written  in  three  parts,  for  solo  voices, 
chorus,  and  orchestra,  the  principals  being  the  Peri, 
soprano ;  the  angel,  alto ;  the  King  of  Gazna,  bass ; 
a  youth,  tenor ;  the  horseman,  barytone ;  and  the  maiden, 
soprano.  The  choruses  are  sung  by  Indians,  angels, 
houris,  and  genii  of  the  /Nile,  and  the  part  of  nar- 
rator is  divided  among  the  various  voices.  The  story  fol- 
lows that  of  the  original  poem.  The  Peri,  expelled  from 
Paradise,  stands  at  its  gate  weeping.  The  angel  who  keeps 
the  gate  of  light  promises  she  shall  be  readmitted  if  she 
brings  "  the  gift  that  is  most  dear  to  heaven."  The  Peri 
goes  in  quest  of  the  gift,  first  to  India,  where  she  procures 
the  last  drop  of  blood  shed  by  the  hero  who  resisted  the 
tyrant  Mahmoud,  and  takes  it  with  her  to  the  gate ;  but 
the  crystal  bar  moves  not.  She  continues  her  quest,  and 
from  the  pestilential  plains  of  Egypt  she  takes  back  the 
last  sigh  of  the  maiden  who  sacrificed  herself  to  her  love 
for  the  youth  who  stole  out  to  die  alone.  But  still  the 
crystal  bar  moves  not.  At  last,  in  the  vale  of  Baalbec,  she 
finds  the  gift,  —  the  tear  of  a  repentant  sinner,  —  which 
secures  her  admission. 

After  a  brief  orchestral  introduction,  the  narrator,  alto, 
tells  the  story  of  the  disconsolate  Peri  at  the  gate,  and 
introduces  her  in  the  first  solo  ("  How  blest  seem  to  me, 
vanished  child  of  air  !  "),  a  tender,  beautiful  melody,  char- 
acterized by  romantic  sentiment.  The  narrator,  tenor, 
introduces  the  angel,  who  delivers  her  message  to  the  Peri 


396     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

("  One  hope  is  thine  "),  to  which  the  latter  replies  in  a 
sensuous  melody,  full  of  Oriental  color  ("  I  know  the 
wealth  hidden  in  every  urn  ").  The  narrator  introduces 
at  this  point  a  quartette  ("  Oh,  beauteous  land "),  in 
which  the  two  trebles,  tenor,  and  bass  alternate,  followed 
by  the  full,  powerful  chorus  ("  But  crimson  now  her 
rivers  ran  ").  A  weird  march,  fairly  barbaric  in  its  effect, 
indicates  the  approach  of  the  tyrant  of  Gazna,  and  intro- 
duces the  stirring  chorus  of  the  Indians  and  conquerors 
("Hail  to  Mahmoud  ! ").  The  tenor  narrator  describes 
the  youthful  warrior  standing  alone  beside  his  native  river 
and  defying  the  tyrant.  Once  more  the  chorus  shouts  its 
greeting  to  Mahmoud,  and  then  ensues  a  dialogue  in  reci- 
tative between  the  two,  leading  up  to  the  youth's  death 
and  a  double  chorus  of  lamentation  ("  Woe  !  for  false  flew 
the  shaft").  The  tenor  narrator  describes  the  flight  of 
the  Peri  to  catch  the  last  drop  of  blood  shed  for  liberty ; 
and  then  all  the  voices  join  with  the  soprano  solo  in  a 
broad,  strong,  exultant  Finale  ("  For  blood  must  holy  be  "), 
which  is  one  of  the  most  effective  numbers  in  the  work. 

The  second  part  opens  in  the  most  charming  manner. 
The  tenor  narrator  pictures  the  return  of  the  Peri  with  her 
gift,  leading  up  to  the  angel's  solo  ("  Sweet  is  our  wel- 
come "),  which  preludes  a  brief  choral  passage  for  sixteen 
female  voices.  After  the  narrator's  declaration  of  her 
disappointment,  the  scene  changes  to  Egypt,  and  in  a 
dainty,  delicate,. three-part  chorus  the  spirits  of  the  Nile 
are  invoked  not  to  disturb  the  Peri.  Her  lament  is  heard 
("  O  Eden,  how  longeth  for  thee  my  heart ! "),  and  the 
spirits  now  weave  a  gentle,  sympathetic  strain  with  her 
song.  A  long  tenor  narration  follows  ("  Now  wanders 
forth  the  Peri  sighing"),  describing  the  pestilence  brooding 
over  the  Egyptian  plains,  set  to  characteristic  music.  The 
scene  of  the  maiden  dying  with  her  lover  is  full  of  pathos, 
and  contains  two  exquisite  numbers,  —  the  narrative  solo 


SCHUMANN  397 

for  mezzo-soprano  ("  Poor  youth,  thus  deserted  "),  and 
the  dying  love-song  of  the  maiden  ("  Oh,  let  me  only  breathe 
the  air,  love  ! ").  The  scene  closes  with  a  sweet  and 
gentle  lament  for  the  pair  ("  Sleep  on  "),  sung  by  the  Peri, 
followed  by  the  chorus,  which  joins  in  the  pathetic 
farewell. 

The  third  part  opens  with  a  lovely  chorus  of  houris 
("Wreathe  ye  the  steps  to  great  Allah's  throne"),  inter- 
spersed with  solos  and  Oriental  in  its  coloring.  The  tenor 
narration  ("Now  morn  is  blushing  in  the  sky"),  which  is 
very  melodious  in  character,  introduces  the  angel,  who  in 
an  alto  solo  ("  Not  yet ")  once  more  dooms  the  Peri  to 
wander.  Her  reply  ("  Rejected  and  sent  from  Eden's 
door  ")  is  full  of  despair.  The  narration  is  now  taken  by 
the  barytone  in  a  flowing,  breezy  strain  ("  And  now  o'er 
Syria's  rosy  plain  "),  which  is  followed  by  a  charming 
quartette  of  Peris  (" Say,  is  it  so?  ").  Once  more  the  bary- 
tone intervenes,  followed  by  the  Peri ;  and  then  the  tenor 
narrator  takes  up  the  theme  in  a  stirring  description  of 
the  boy  nestling  amid  the  roses,  and  the  "  passion-stained  " 
horseman  at  the  fountain.  The  alto  proclaims  the  vesper 
call  to  prayer,  and  the  tenor  reflects  upon  the  memories  of 
the  wretched  man  as  he  sees  the  child  kneeling.  The 
solo  barytone  announces  his  repentance,  followed  by  a 
quartette  and  chorus  in  broad,  full  harmony  ("  Oh,  blessed 
tears  of  true  repentance ! ").  The  next  number  is  a 
double  one,  composed  of  soprano  and  tenor  solos  with 
chorus  ("  There  falls  a  drop  on  the  land  of  Egypt  ").  In 
an  exultant,  triumphant  strain  ("Joy,  joy  forever,  my 
work  is  done  !  ")  the  Peri  sings  her  happiness,  and  the 
chorus  brings  the  work  to  a  close  with  the  heavenly 
greeting  ("  Oh,  welcome  'mid  the  blessed  ! "). 


398     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 


SYMPHONY  No.  i,  IN  B  FLAT.     OP.  38 

1.  ANDANTE  UN  POCO  MAESTOSO.    ALLEGRO  MOLTO  VIVACE. 

2.  LARGHETTO. 

3.  SCHERZO.    MOLTO  VIVACE. 

4.  FINALE.    ALLEGRO  ANIMATO  E  GRACIOSO. 

Schumann's  First  symphony,  in  B  flat,  was  written  in 
1841,  and  was  first  performed  at  the  Leipsic  Gewandhaus 
concerts,  under  Mendelssohn's  direction,  March  3 1  of  that 
year,  together  with  his  "  Overture,  Scherzo,  and  Finale," 
which  is  symphonic  in  its  dimensions.  It  was  his  first 
important  work  for  orchestra,  and,  being  written  at  a  very 
happy  period  of  his  life,  when  at  last  all  obstacles  to  his 
marriage  with  Clara  Wieck  had  been  removed,  is  marked 
by  vivacity  and  joyousness.  According  to  Hanslick,  Schu- 
mann himself  characterized  it  as  the  "  Spring  symphony." 

The  first  movement  is  prefaced  with  a  brief  introduc- 
tion, Andante  un  poco  maestoso,  of  a  passionate  and  ear- 
nest character,  its  opening  phrase,  given  out  by  the  horns 
and  trumpets,  playing  an  important  part  in  the  progress 
of  the  movement.  In  the  development  there  are  sombre 
suggestions ;  but  with  a  sudden  change  in  the  harmony, 
the  flute  is  heard  with  a  more  cheering  tone,  the  violins 
rush  in,  and  with  a  grand  sweep  the  whole  orchestra  opens 
the  fresh  and  vigorous  Allegro,  its  first  theme  being 
similar  to  that  of  the  Andante.  The  second  theme, 
prefaced  by  the  horns  and  given  out  by  the  clarinet  with 
viola  accompaniment,  is  a  unique  and  thoroughly  char- 
acteristic melody.  As  it  is  developed  it  gathers  fresh  life 
and  force.  New  and  piquant  phrases  are  introduced,  and 
blend  with  it,  one  of  them  forming  a  charming  accompani- 
ment to  the  first  theme.  The  coda  is  constructed  freely 
and  broadly,  and  works  up  to  a  magnificent  climax  lead- 
ing at  last,  after  a  pizzicato  passage,  to  a  joyful  rhythmical 


ROBERT  SCHUMANN 


SCHUMANN 


399 


song   given   out   first   by   the   strings   and   then  by   full 
orchestra. 

The  Larghetto  movement  is  a  grand  fantasie,  full  of 
passionate  devotion  and  almost  religious  in  its  character, 
showing  unmistakably  the  influence  of  Beethoven.  Its 
opening  theme  is  given  out  by  the  violins  and  then  re- 
peated by  the  'cellos,  a  new  and  characteristic  phrase 
appearing  in  the  accompaniment.  Again  it  appears  for 
the  oboes  and  horns,  most  ingeniously  varied.  Its  treat- 
ment on  each  reappearance  grows  more  elaborate,  and 
fresh  phrases  wander  from  one  instrument  to  another. 

The  beautiful  fantasie  finally  dies  away,  and  with  slight 
pause  the  Scherzo  opens,  Molto  vivace,  with  a  vigorous 
theme  which  has  already  been  indicated  in  the  close  of 
the  Larghetto.  As  opposed  to  it  Schumann  has  written 
two  trios  in  different  rhythms.  The  first,  Molto  piu 
vivace,  is  thoroughly  original,  and  rich  and  tender  in  its 
harmony.  The  second  is  equally  characteristic,  and 
clearly  enough  reveals  the  union  of  Schumann's  romantic 
style  with  the  old  minuet  form.  At  the  close  of  the 
Scherzo  the  first  trio  again  appears,  and  the  movement 
ends  with  a  diminuendo. 

The  Finale  begins  with  a  scale  passage,  which  is  a 
prominent  feature  in  the  movement.  Its  first  theme  is 
fresh,  gay,  and  vigorous,  and  after  its  statement  leads  to 
an  interesting  dialogue  in  which  a  new  and  lively  subject 
and  the  scale-passage  of  the  opening  take  part.  The 
second  theme  is  full  of  joyous  contentment,  and  in  the 
development  the  first  theme  appears  opposed  to  it,  with 
freshly  varied  treatment,  until  the  brilliant  and  powerful 
close  is  reached. 


400     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 


SYMPHONY  No.  2,  IN  C  MAJOR.     OP.  61 

1.  SOSTENUTO  ASSAI.    ALLEGRO  MA  NON  TROPPO. 

2.  SCHERZO.    ALLEGRO  VIVACE. 

3.  ADAGIO  ESPRKSSIVO. 

4.  ALLEGRO  MOLTO  VIVACE. 

Schumann's  C  major  symphony  No.  2  l  was  sketched  in 
1845  and  completed  in  1846.  It  was  first  performed  at  a 
Leipsic  Gewandhaus  concert,  under  Mendelssohn's  direc- 
tion, November  5,  1846.  Unlike  the  No.  i,  it  was 
written  at  a  time  of  physical  suffering  and  mental  afflic- 
tion, —  the  precursors  of  the  malady  which  led  to  a  dis- 
tressing fatality  ten  years  later.  The  symphony  itself  is  a 
representation  of  conflict,  but  with  a  happier  result,  as  the 
triumphant  Finale  shows.  As  compared  with  the  First, 
also,  it  is  laid  out  on  a  grander  scale,  and  is  more  finished 
in  form,  —  the  outgrowth  of  Schumann's  contrapuntal 
study.  Its  movements  are  also  closely  bound  together 
and  related  to  each  other,  and  by  the  skilful  use  of  the 
material  of  the  introduction  an  admirable  unity  of  design 
is  secured. 

The  prelude,  Sostenuto  assai,  which  introduces  the  first 
movement,  is  in  the  nature  of  an  overture  to  the  sym- 
phony, setting  forth  its  story,  furnishing  a  clew  to  its 
meaning,  and  constituting  a  bond  of  union  between  the 
various  movements.  Its  opening  theme,  which  is  of  a 
lofty  and  serious  character,  will  be  found  in  each  of  the 
movements,  and  it  also  foreshadows  the  leading  theme  of 
the  first.  It  is  given  out  by  the  trumpets,  horns,  and 
trombone,  with  an  harmonious  accompaniment  by  the 
strings.  After  a  few  bars  a  romantic  phrase  appears  in 
the  accompaniment  for  the  wood  winds,  which  is  also 

1  The  C  major  is  in  reality  the  Third  symphony,  though  num- 
bered as  the  Second,  and  in  order  of  date  follows  the  B  flat, 
D  minor,  and  E,  —  known  as  the  "  Overture,  Scherzo,  and  Finale." 


SCHUMANN  401 

repeated  in  the  other  movements.  As  the  introduction 
progresses  the  time  is  accelerated,  and  a  new  subject  is 
assigned  to  the  flutes  and  oboes,  which  leads  up  to  the 
principal  theme,  Allegro  ma  non  troppo, — a  resolute, 
energetic  melody  suggestive  of  conflict,  and  followed  by  a 
vigorous  phrase,  already  heard,  but  now  appearing  with  a 
fresh  accompaniment  and  leading  to  the  second  theme, 
of  a  less  energetic  character,  which  closes  the  first  part 
of  the  movement.  The  second  part  is  devoted  to  the 
elaborate  development  of  this  thematic  material,  which 
leads  up  to  a  return  of  the  first  theme,  after  a  long  organ- 
point  in  the  basses,  with  unique  wind  accompaniment.  In 
the  coda,  after  a  treatment  of  associated  subjects,  the 
trumpets  take  up  the  opening  of  the  prelude  again,  this 
time  in  sonorous  and  aggressive  style,  clearly  indicating 
the  conflict 

The  Scherzo  shows  us  Schumann  in  one  of  his  rare 
joyous  moods,  though  the  movement  is  dominated  by  the 
same  general  sentiment  of  energetic  resistance.  Its  first 
theme  is  given  out  by  the  violins,  and  is  characterized  by 
feverish  restlessness,  to  which  a  counter-theme  is  opposed, 
with  an  accompaniment  in  contrary  motion.  The  Scherzo 
has  two  trios.  The  first  is  a  melody  in  triplets,  divided 
between  the  wood  winds  and  strings.  The  second,  which 
is  more  subdued,  is  taken  by  the  strings  in  full  har- 
mony. In  the  return  the  trios  are  displaced  by  the  first 
theme ;  and  in  the  coda  the  trumpets  and  horns,  with 
scale  accompaniment  by  the  violins,  again  give  out  the 
theme  of  the  prelude. 

The  Adagio  is  in  marked  contrast  to  the  preceding 
movements,  expressing  tenderness  and  devotion  instead  of 
conflict.  Without  introduction  the  strings  alone  sing  a 
passionate  love-song,  the  oboes  and  clarinets  subsequently 
adding  their  voices  to  the  beautiful  strain.  A  brief 
interlude  leads  to  the  second  theme,  assigned  to  the 

26 


402     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

strings,  accompanied  by  the  trumpet  and  horns.  After  its 
statement  the  love-song  is  repeated  by  the  violins  in 
octaves  trilling  downward,  the  wood  winds  closing  it. 
The  second  part  closely  resembles  the  first  and  closes 
peacefully,  with  no  allusion  to  the  trumpet  theme  of  the 
prelude. 

In  the  Finale  Schumann  returns  to  the  conflict  with 
renewed  ardor  and  force.  It  begins  with  a  rapid  scale- 
passage  leading  up  to  the  martial  first  theme.  The  tran- 
sition to  the  second  theme  is  characterized  by  vigorous 
and  striking  rhythms.  The  theme  itself,  suggestive  of  the 
Adagio,  is  given  out  by  the  violas,  'cellos,  clarinets,  and 
bassoons,  accompanied  by  the  violin  scale-passage  men- 
tioned above  and  the  wind  instruments  in  triplets,  and 
gradually  leads  back  to  a  return  of  the  first  subject.  The 
end  of  the  conflict  is  marked  by  a  climax  in  which  the 
trumpet  theme  is  again  heard.  After  suggestive  rests 
the  oboe  intones  a  simple  theme,  but  full  of  joy  and 
victory,  which  is  worked  up  to  a  climax.  It  then  appears 
broader  and  more  freely  for  the  strings,  and  from  this 
point  moves  on  to  the  close  like  a  grand  hymn  of  thanks- 
giving, the  trumpet  theme  making  its  last  appearance 
near  the  end. 


SYMPHONY  No.  3  (RHENISH),  IN  E  FLAT.     OP.  97 

1.  ALLEGRO.  3.  ANDANTE. 

2.  SCHERZO.  4.   LENTO. 

5.  ALLEGRO  FINALE. 

The  Symphony  in  E  flat,  though  numbered  the  Third, 
was  the  Fourth  in  order  of  composition,  and  is  familiarly 
known  as  "The  Rhenish,"  the  title  being  derived  from  the 
impressions  of  life  in  the  Rhineland  made  upon  the  com- 
poser. It  was  sketched  and  instrumented  between  No- 
vember 2  and  December  9,  1850,  in  which  year  Schumann 


SCHUMANN  403 

was  the  municipal  director  of  music  at  Diisseldorf.  Its 
first  performance  took  place  in  that  city,  February  6,  1851. 
It  is  a  work  characterized  by  exuberant  fancy,  extraordinary 
inventiveness,  originality  and  joyousness  of  feeling,  con- 
sidering the  mental  disorder  which  was  already  preying 
upon  the  unhappy  composer. 

The  first  movement  opens  without  introduction,  the  first 
theme  being  at  once  given  out  by  the  violins.  After  short 
development  it  is  heard  again  with  increased  animation, 
and  leads  up  to  a  lively  second  theme  for  the  oboes,  bas- 
soons, and  clarinets.  The  elaboration  of  these  two  themes 
is  long  and  skilful,  and  the  manner  in  which  Schumann 
unfolds,  develops,  and  contrasts  them  and  leads  up  to 
the  reprise  shows  what  rapid  progress  he  had  made  in  his 
contrapuntal  studies. 

The  Scherzo  begins  with  a  characteristic  theme  given 
out  by  the  violas,  bassoons,  and  'cellos,  —  a  melody  which 
is  fairly  replete  with  good-nature  and  old-fashioned  humor. 
After  its  development  a  second  lively  theme  occurs  and 
leads  up  to  a  subject  given  out  by  the  clarinets,  horns,  and 
bassoons,  corresponding  to  the  trio,  and  full  of  color. 
After  its  statement  the  principal  theme  returns  and  is 
ingeniously  varied. 

The  Andante  opens  with  a  quiet  and  beautiful  melody 
for  the  bassoons  and  clarinets.  The  movement  is  serene 
and  sentimental  throughout,  and  prepares  the  way  for  the 
succeeding  Lento,  the  inspiration  of  which  has  been  out- 
lined by  Schumann  himself.  It  is  marked  "  Feierlich." 
The  composer  at  first  superscribed  the  movement,  "  In 
the  character  of  accompaniment  to  a  solemn  ceremony." 
This  ceremony  was  the  festivity  in  the  cathedral  of  Cologne 
consequent  upon  the  elevation  of  Archbishop  von  Geissel 
to  the  rank  of  Cardinal,  which  he  had  witnessed.  When 
the  symphony  was  published,  however,  he  erased  the  su- 
perscription, explaining  his  action  by  saying  :  "  One  must 


4o4     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

not  show  the  people  his  heart.  A  more  general  impres- 
sion of  a  work  of  art  is  better  for  them  ;  then  at  least  they 
will  make  no  false  comparisons."  The  religious  pomp 
which  he  had  seen  is  clearly  apparent,  and  would  have 
impressed  itself  upon  the  hearer  even  had  Schumann  left 
no  clew  to  its  inner  meaning.  Its  foundation  is  a  broad 
and  unmistakably  ecclesiastic  harmony  given  out  in  a  sol- 
emn and  stately  manner  by  the  trombones,  and  on  this 
foundation  he  builds  up  an  elaborate  contrapuntal  struc- 
ture which  retains  the  same  ecclesiastic  form,  with  added 
richness  and  brilliancy.  The  Finale  is  written  in  strict 
form,  and  introduces  new  and  fresh  themes,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  appearance  of  the  ecclesiastical  motive,  of 
which  the  principal  one  is  the  most  striking.  As  to  the 
general  character  of  the  symphony  Schumann  says  :  "  Pop- 
ular elements  had  to  be  prominent,  and  I  believe  I  have 
succeeded,  which  may  be  an  explanation  of  its  title, 
"  Rhenish." 


SYMPHONY  No.  4,  in  D  MINOR.     OP.  120 

1.  INTRODUCTION.  3.  ROMANZA. 

2.  ALLEGRO.  4.  SCHERZO  AND  FINALE. 

Schumann's  Fourth  symphony,  really  his  Second,  was 
originally  written  in  1841,  but  was  not  revised  and  put 
into  its  present  form  until  1851.  [Its  title  is  "  Symphony 
No.  4,  D  minor,  Introduction,  Allegro,  Romanza,  Scherzo, 
and  Finale,  in  one  piece,")  the  parts  passing  into  one 
another  without  pause,  and  united  by  the  use  of  subjects 
already  stated.) 

The  Introduction  opens  with  a  theme  for  the  violas 
and  'cellos  of  a  somewhat  melancholy  character,  and  after 
its  brief  development,  with  a  gradually  accelerated  tempo, 
the  Allegro  enters  with  a  theme  dry  and  difficult  in  its 
contents,  but  used  with  masterly  effect  in  its  development, 


SCHUMANN  405 

and  presenting  unusual  strength,  in  spite  of  its  unmelo- 
dious  nature.  Though  there  is  a  second  theme,  more 
gracious  in  style,  the  first  dominates  the  whole  first  part  of 
the  movement.  After  the  usual  repeat  the  second  part  is 
treated  in  the  style  of  a  free  fantasie,  with  entirely  new 
material,  in  which  respect  Schumann  makes  a  wide  de- 
parture from  the  established  forms ;  and  yet  there  is  the 
same  general  feeling,  the  same  strength,  and  no  apparent 
lack  of  unity,  for  in  this  part  of  the  movement  appears  a 
semi-quaver  figure  already  used  in  the  Introduction.  It  is 
built  up  mainly  on  two  episodes,  —  the  first  given  out  with 
full  strength  by  the  winds,  and  in  the  repeat  by  the  strings, 
and  the  second  by  the  violins.  The  entire  second  part  is 
devoted  to  the  elaboration  of  these  two  episodes  in  a  bold 
and  striking  manner,  and  it  closes  with  fiery  emphasis,  in 
strange  contrast  with  the  movement  to  which  it  leads. 

A  single  chord  binds  it  to  the  Romanza,  which  one 
critic  has  beautifully  described  as  "  like  a  shower  out  of 
the  blue  sky."  It  opens  with  a  simple,  plaintive,  and  ex- 
quisitely refined  melody,  which,  once  heard,  will  always 
linger  in  the  memory.  It  is  given  out  by  the  oboes  and 
'cellos,  with  the  strings  pizzicato.  A  short  phrase  follows 
for  the  violas.  Then  succeeds  a  passage  from  the  Intro- 
duction which  reminds  us  that  this  tender  Romanza  is 
filling  its  part  in  the  general  symphonic  design.  A  repeti- 
tion of  its  phrase  leads  to  a  second  subject  given  out  by 
the  strings,  while  a  solo  violin  heightens  the  beautiful 
effect  with  a  variation  on  the  principal  theme.  The  move- 
ment closes  with  the  tender  song  that  opens  it. 

The  Scherzo  opens  with  a  strong,  energetic  theme  for 
full  orchestra,  except  trombones,  which  has  few  reminders 
of  the  ordinary  Scherzo  lightness  and  caprice.  The  sec- 
ond part,  however,  is  more  gracious,  and  the  trio  is  soft 
and  dreamy.  At  its  close  the  Scherzo  reappears,  followed 
by  the  trio,  in  the  midst  of  which  there  is  a  moment  of 


406     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

restlessness,  as  if  the  instruments  knew  not  which  way  to 
turn.  Instead  of  leading  back  to  the  Scherzo  the  music 
diminishes  in  tone  as  if  it  would  disappear,  when  suddenly 
the  winds  give  out  a  melodious  phrase  leading  into  the 
Finale.  The  short  introduction,  which  contains  familiar 
material,  prepares  the  way  for  the  opening  theme,  which 
is  also  familiar,  as  it  has  appeared  in  nearly  the  same  form 
in  the  first  movement.  At  its  close  occurs  a  subject,  only 
a  bar  in  length,  which  plays  an  important  part  in  the  final 
development.  The  second  theme  is  an  odd  mixture  of 
fancy  and  frolic.  After  the  customary  reprise  Schumann 
gives  himself  up  to  his  mood,  quitting  the  first  subject  alto- 
gether and  elaborating  the  second  until  in  the  coda  we 
meet  with  a  new  and  unexpected  theme.  The  Finale 
closes  presto  with  a  genuine  Italian  stretta. 


CHRISTIAN  SINDING 


BINDING 

1856- 

SYMPHONY  IN  D  MINOR.    OP.  21 

I.  ALLEGRO  MODERATO.  3.  VIVACE. 

a.  ANDANTE.  4.   MAESTOSO. 

SINDING'S  symphony  in  D  minor  was  written  in  1890, 
and  is  the  most  important  of  the  few  works  of  this  gifted 
Norwegian  composer  which  have  grown  familiar  in  our 
concert-rooms.  It  opens  with  a  strange  minor  theme,  given 
out  by  full  orchestra,  accompanied  by  several  smaller  themes 
in  its  development,  but  finally  working  up  to  a  climax,  after 
which  the  second  subject  is  given  out  by  the  violins  with 
an  accompaniment  of  bassoons  and  bass  strings.  It  is  then 
passed  on  to  the  horn,  clarinet,  oboe,  and  other  instru- 
ments, after  which  follows  a  fantasie  closing  with  a  splendid 
statement  of  the  first  theme.  The  second  theme  reappears 
for  clarinet,  horn,  and  first  violins,  the  movement  ending 
suddenly  with  a  repetition  of  the  first. 

The  Andante  opens  with  another  strange  theme,  devel- 
oping most  curious  effects,  and  sombre  in  character.  The 
theme  passes  from  instrument  to  instrument,  continually 
producing  new  effects  until  a  counter  theme  is  reached. 
The  development  of  this  new  matter,  with  the  principal 
theme  announced  with  the  full  strength  of  the  bassoons, 
trombones,  and  tubas,  closes  the  movement. 

The  Scherzo  is  marked  "  Vivace  "  by  the  composer. 
The  violins  give  out  the  first  subject  which  is  full  of  spirit, 
but  is  suddenly  met  in  its  development  by  a  brilliant 


4o8     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

counter  theme,  and  upon  these  two  the  whole  move- 
ment rests.  It  is  spirited  and  lively  throughout  and 
closes  with  some  unique  variations  of  the  first  theme. 
The  final  Maestoso  opens  with  a  theme  given  out  by 
basses,  'cellos,  trombones,  and  tubas,  impressive  in  char- 
acter and  most  sonorous.  After  its  development  a  second 
theme  enters  upon  the  clarinet  and  bassoon,  and  after  the 
development  of  this  material  this  original  and  peculiarly 
Northern  symphony  comes  to  its  close. 


SMART 

1813-1879 

THE  BRIDE  OF  DUNKERRON 

" '  |^HE  Bride  of  Dunkerron,"  words  by  Frederick 
JL  Enoch,  was  written  for  the  Birmingham  Festival 
of  1864,  and  is  based  upon  a  tradition,  the  scene  located 
at  the  Castle  of  Dunkerron,  on  the  coast  of  Kerry.  The 
story  is  a  simple  one.  The  Lord  of  Dunkerron  becomes 
enamoured  of  a  sea-maiden,  and  as  she  is  unable  to  leave 
her  element  he  follows  her  to  her  abode.  She  seeks  the 
Sea-King  to  obtain  his  consent  to  their  union,  but  returns 
to  her  lover  with  the  sad  message  that  she  is  doomed  to 
death  for  loving  a  mortal.  He  in  turn  is  driven  from  the 
Sea-King's  realm,  and  is  cast  back  by  the  tempest  to  the 
shores  of  the  upper  world ;  and  the  work  closes  with 
the  laments  of  the  sea-spirits  for  the  maiden,  and  of  the 
serfs  for  their  master. 

After  an  expressive  orchestral  introduction  the  cantata 
opens  with  a  chorus  of  the  serfs,  tenors  and  basses  ("  Ere 
the  wine-cup  is  dry"),  followed  by  a  romantic  chorus  of 
sea-maidens,  the  two  at  times  interwoven  and  responsive, 
—  the  one  describing  Lord  Dunkerron's  nightly  vigils  on 
the  sea-shore,  and  the  other  the  melody  of  the  maidens 
which  tempts  him.  A  charming  orchestral  intermezzo,  full 
of  the  feeling  of  the  sea,  ensues,  and  is  followed  by  recita- 
tive and  aria  ("The  full  moon  is  beaming")  for  Dunker- 
ron, which  is  simple  in  style,  but  effective  as  a  song,  even 
apart  from  its  setting.  It  leads  up  to  another  chorus  of 
the  sea-maidens  ("  Let  us  sing,  the  moonlit  shores  along  ") 


4io     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

and  a  long  love  dialogue  between  Dunkerron  and  the 
maiden.  The  next  number  is  a  spirited  and  picturesque 
chorus  ("  Down  through  the  deep  ")  describing  the  pas- 
sage of  the  lovers  to  the  maiden's  home,  which  is  followed 
by  a  sturdy,  sonorous  recitative  and  aria  for  bass  voice 
("  Oh,  the  earth  is  fair  in  plain  and  glade  ")  sung  by 
the  Sea-King.  Two  attractive  choruses  follow,  the  first 
("  O  Storm-King,  hear  us  ")  with  a  solo  for  the  Sea- 
King,  and  the  second  ("  Hail  to  thee,  child  of  the 
earth  !  ")  by  the  sea-maidens.  Another  graceful  melody 
("  Our  home  shall  be  on  this  bright  isle  ")  is  assigned 
to  the  maiden,  leading  to  a  duet  with  Dunkerron,  in  which 
she  announces  her  departure  to  obtain  the  Sea- King's  con- 
sent to  their  union.  A  chorus  of  the  storm-spirits  ("  Roar, 
wind  of  the  tempest,  roar  !  ")  indicates  her  doom  and  leads 
up  to  the  Finale.  A  powerful  trio  for  the  maiden,  Dunker- 
ron, and  the  Sea- King,  followed  by  the  angry  commands 
of  the  latter  ("Hurl  him  back!"),  tells  of  the  death  of 
the  lovers,  and  the  work  closes  as  it  opened,  with  the 
intermingled  choruses  of  serfs  and  sea-maidens,  this  time, 
however,  full  of  lamentation  over  the  sad  tragedy. 


KING  RENT'S  DAUGHTER 

"  King  Rene's  Daughter,"  a  cantata  for  female  voices 
only,  the  poem  by  Frederick  Enoch,  was  written  in  1871. 
The  story  is  freely  adapted  from  Henrick  Hertz's  lyric 
drama.  lolanthe,  the  daughter  of  King  Rene,  Count  of 
Provence,  was  betrothed  in  her  infancy  to  the  son  of  the 
Count  of  Vaudemont.  When  but  a  year  old  she  was 
stricken  with  blindness.  She  has  been  reared  in  igno- 
rance of  her  affliction  by  a  strict  concealment  from  her  of 
all  knowledge  of  the  blessings  of  sight.  A  wandering 
magician  agrees  to  cure  her  by  the  use  of  an  amulet,  pro- 
vided she  is  first  informed  of  the  existence  of  the  missing 


SIR  GEORGE  T.  SMART 


SMART  411 

sense  ;  but  her  father  refuses  permission.  Her  betrothed 
has  never  seen  her,  but  wandering  one  day  through  the 
valley  of  Vaucluse,  singing  his  troubadour  lays,  he  beholds 
her,  and  is  captivated  by  her  beauty.  His  song  reveals  to 
her  the  faculty  of  which  she  has  been  kept  in  ignorance, 
and  the  magician,  his  condition  thus  having  been  fulfilled, 
restores  her  to  sight. 

The  work  is  divided  into  thirteen  numbers,  the  solo 
parts  being  lolanthe,  soprano ;  Martha,  mezzo-soprano ; 
and  Beatrice,  contralto.  In  the  third  number  another 
soprano  voice  is  required  in  a  trio  and  chorus  of  vintagers  ; 
and  in  the  sixth  number,  a  soprano  and  contralto  in  the 
quartette,  which  acts  the  part  of  narrator,  and  tells  of  the 
troubadour's  "  Rose  Song  "  to  lolanthe.  It  is  unnecessary 
to  specify  the  numbers  in  detail,  as  they  are  of  the  same  gen- 
eral character,  —  smooth,  flowing,  and  graceful  in  melody 
throughout.  The  most  striking  of  them  are  No.  3,  trio 
and  chorus  ("  See  how  gay  the  valley  shines  ")  ;  No.  5, 
arietta  for  Martha  ("  Listening  to  the  nightingales ")  ; 
No.  6,  quartette  ("Who  hath  seen  the  troubadour?"); 
No.  8,  lolanthe's  song  ("I  love  the  rose");  No.  n, 
duet  and  chorus  ("Sweet  the  angelus  is  ringing")  ;  and 
the  Finale,  with  the  jubilant  chorus  ("  Ren6  the  king  will 
ride  forth  from  the  gate"). 


s 


SPOHR 

1784-1859 

THE  LAST  JUDGMENT 

POHR  wrote  two  oratorios  upon  the  same  subject 
—  "  Das  jungste  Gericht  "  ("  The  Last  Judgment  ") 
and  "  Die  letzten  Dinge  "  ("  The  Last  Things  ") ;  but  the 
latter  is  now  universally  entitled  "  The  Last  Judgment," 
and  the  former  was  shelved  by  the  composer  himself 
shortly  after  its  performance.  The  work  opens  with  a 
long  overture  of  a  grave  and  majestic  character,  followed 
by  the  striking  chorus,  "  Praise  His  awful  Name,"  which 
is  beautifully  written,  and  contains  impressive  soprano  and 
bass  solos.  Some  brief  tenor  and  bass  recitatives  lead  to 
the  second  number,  a  short  chorus  ("  Holy,  holy,  Lord 
God  of  Hosts  "),  in  which  the  voices  have  no  accompani- 
ment except  the  horns.  Three  phrases  of  recitative  for 
soprano  and  tenor  lead  to  the  next  chorus  ("  All  glory  to 
the  Lamb  that  died  "),  a  grand  number,  which  is  familiar 
to  nearly  every  lover  of  oratorio  music.  The  next  num- 
ber is  one  of  the  most  striking  in  the  work.  A  short 
tenor  recitative  introduces  the  tenor  solo  and  chorus 
("Blessing,  honor,  glory,  and  power"),  beginning  with  a 
tranquil  and  smoothly  flowing  solo,  the  chorus  opening  in 
the  same  manner,  then  developing  into  an  admirably 
written  fugue,  and  closing  in  the  same  serene  style  as  it 
opened.  A  picturesque  scene  follows,  comprising  the 
tenor  recitative  ("  And  lo !  a  mighty  host "),  with  a 
striking  accompaniment  descriptive  of  "  the  mighty  host 


SPOHR  413 

of  all  nations  and  people  that  stood  before  the  throne  and 
the  Lamb,"  and  the  exquisite  quartette  and  chorus  ("  Lord 
God  of  heaven  and  earth  ")  which  close  the  first  part. 

The  second  part  opens  with  an  orchestral  symphony 
which  heralds  the  signs  and  portents  of  the  Day  of  Judg- 
ment in  graphic  style.  It  is  followed  by  a  long  bass  reci- 
tative with  intensely  dramatic  accompaniment  ("The 
day  of  wrath  is  near  "),  leading  to  the  pathetic  duet  for 
soprano  and  tenor  ("Forsake  me  not  in  this  dread  hour"), 
a  gem  of  beautiful  melody,  followed  by  the  response  of  the 
chorus  in  unison  ("  If  with  your  whole  hearts  ").  After 
a  short  tenor  recitative  another  strong  chorus  ensues 
("  Destroyed  is  Babylon  "),  with  an  agitated  and  power- 
ful accompaniment,  which  continues  for  some  time  after 
the  voices  cease,  once  interrupted  by  the  tenor  proclaim- 
ing, "It  is  ended,"  and  then  coming  to  a  close  in  a 
gentle  pianissimo  effect.  A  tender,  melodious  quartette 
and  chorus  ("  Blest  are  the  departed ")  follows.  The 
soprano  voice  announces  the  new  heaven  and  earth.  A 
short  tenor  recitative  ("  Behold  !  He  soon  shall  come  ") 
and  the  quartette  response  ("  Then  come,  Lord  Jesus  ") 
prepare  the  way  for  the  final  massive  chorus  ("  Great  and 
wonderful  are  all  Thy  works  "),  which  begins  with  a  few 
bars  of  full  harmony,  then  develops  into  a  vigorous  fugue, 
which,  after  choral  announcements  of  hallelujah,  is  fol- 
lowed by  another  fugue  ("  Thine  is  the  kingdom  "),  clos- 
ing with  a  tumultuous  ascription  of  praise,  and  Amen. 
The  solo  parts  in  the  oratorio  are  always  short  and  of  a 
reflective  character.  It  is  peculiarly  a  choral  work,  the 
predominant  traits  of  which  are  sweetness,  tenderness,  and 
grace. 


4i4     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 


SYMPHONY  No.  4,  IN  F  (CONSECRATION  OF  SOUND).  OP.  86 

1.  INTRODUCTION  AND  ALLEGRO.     (Silence  of  Nature  before  the 

Creation  of  Tone.) 

2.  ANDANTINO,  ETC.     (Cradle-Song,  Dance,  and  Serenade.) 

3.  TEMPO  DI  MARCIA.     (Military  Music.     Off  for  the  Battle.     Feel- 

ings of  Those  Left  Behind.     Return  of  the  Victors.     Thanks- 
giving.) 

4.  LARGHETTO.    ALLEGRETTO.    (Funeral  Chant.    Consolation  of 

Tears.) 

The  Fourth  symphony  of  Spohr's,  "  Die  Weihe  der 
Tone  "  ("  Consecration  of  Sound  "),  —  a  notable  example 
of  programme-music,  bears  the  title,  "  Characteristic!^ 
Tongemalde  in  Form  einer  Sinfonie  nach  Gedicht  von 
Carl  Pfeiffer  "  ("  Characteristic  Tone-Pictures  in  the  Form 
of  a  Symphony  after  a  Poem  —  by  Carl  Pfeiffer  "). 

In  a  work  which  is  so  clearly  an  illustration  of  the  pro- 
gramme, —  a  series  of  suggestive  tone-pictures  whose 
meaning  lies  on  the  surface,  —  it  is  not  necessary  to  enter 
into  detailed  analysis.  The  opening  movement,  "  Silence 
of  Nature  before  the  Creation  of  Tone,"  is  introduced  by 
a  vague,  formless  Largo,  like  Haydn's  Chaos  in  "The 
Creation,"  characterized  by  portentous,  heavy  harmonies 
for  the  basses  and  wood  winds,  and  leading  up  to  an 
Allegro  which  opens  with  a  principal  theme  full  of  melo- 
dious sweetness  given  out  by  the  violins  and  supported  by 
the  flutes.  The  movement  has  no  second  theme.  After 
the  opening  melody  the  movement  partakes  of  the  nature 
of  a  symphonic  poem,  illustrating  the  various  sounds  of 
Nature,  the  songs  of  birds,  the  uproar  of  the  elements, 
and  the  blessings  of  human  speech. 

In  the  second  movement,  which  takes  the  place  of  the 
customary  slow  movement,  there  are  three  distinct  themes, 
forming  the  groundwork  of  three  pictures.  The  first  is  a 
cradle-song  of  a  gentle,  soothing  character.  From  this 


Louis  SPOHR 


SPOHR  415 

we  pass  to  a  dance  tempo  of  a  lively,  tripping  style,  and 
again  to  a  serenade  for  the  'cello.  These  three  themes 
are  delightfully  combined,  and  give  to  the  movement  a 
peculiar  grace  and  refinement. 

The  third  movement,  corresponding  to  the  Scherzo, 
is  marked  "  Tempo  di  Marcia."  It  begins  with  a  brilliant 
military  march  announced  by  the  trumpets  with  full  accom- 
paniment of  drums  and  cymbals,  and  to  the  same  strain 
the  soldiers  depart  to  the  battle.  Meanwhile  the  clarinet 
touchingly  sings  the  grief  of  those  left  behind,  while,  as  if 
in  the  distance,  is  heard  the  tempo  of  the  march.  After 
the  return  of  the  troops  the  movement  closes  with  a  hymn 
of  thanksgiving,  based  upon  the  old  Ambrosian  chorale 
"  God,  we  praise  Thee,"  with  characteristic  choral 
accompaniment. 

The  last  movement  begins  Larghetto,  with  a  funeral 
chant  which  in  its  general  form  resembles  the  Finale  of 
the  third  movement,  being  based  upon  the  chorale,  "  Now 
let  us  bury  the  dead,"  given  out  by  the  clarinets  and 
'cellos  with  full  accompaniment.  After  the  funeral  episode 
follows  "The  Consolation  of  Tears"  in  a  soothing  melody, 
Allegretto,  which  gradually  develops  to  a  celestial  strain. 
Music  follows  man  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave,  and  its 
tones  are  heard  in  the  better  world  beyond. 


STANFORD 

1852- 

SYMPHONY  No.  3,  IN  F  MINOR  (IRISH).     OP.  28 

1.  ALLEGRO  MODERATO.  3.  ANDANTE  CON  MOTO. 

2.  ALLEGRO  MOLTO  VIVACE.        4.  ALLEGRO  MODERATO. 

STANFORD'S  so-called  Irish  symphony  was  completed 
in  1887,  and  was  first  performed  June  27  of  that  year 
in  one  of  Herr  Richter's  London  concerts.  Like  Men- 
delssohn's Scotch  and  Cowen's  Cambrian,  it  is  said  to  have 
grown  out  of  a  visit  made  by  the  composer  to  Ireland.  It 
is  certainly  Irish  in  spirit  as  well  as  in  the  thematic  ma- 
terial employed,  and  is  sufficiently  national  to  secure 
instant  recognition  by  even  an  untutored  Irish  listener. 

The  first  movement,  Allegro  moderate,  opens  with  a 
melodious  theme  in  the  string  quartette,  unison  and  pianis- 
simo, supported  by  the  winds.  After  a  short  development 
it  is  repeated  in  a  powerful  crescendo  by  full  orches- 
tra. A  phrase  from  the  theme  is  then  treated,  and  leads 
to  the  second,  given  out  by  the  'cellos  in  cantabile  style 
and  then  taken  up  by  the  violins.  The  usual  repetition 
follows,  and  closes  the  first  part.  The  second  part  opens 
with  a  working-up  of  the  first  theme,  followed  by  the 
second  with  ingenious  variations.  Both  themes  also  ap- 
pear in  the  coda  closing  the  movement. 

The  second  movement,  Allegro  molto  vivace,  which 
takes  the  place  of  the  customary  Scherzo,  begins  at  once 
with  a  first  theme  in  jig-like  movement  for  the  first  violins. 
After  its  development  a  short  episode  follows,  given  out  by 


CHARLES  V.  STANFORD 


STANFORD  417 

the  wood  winds,  which  leads  up  to  a  genuine  peasant  mel- 
ody. The  trio  opens  with  an  attractive  theme,  leading  to 
the  coda,  in  which  the  jig  returns,  closing  the  movement 
in  spirited  style. 

The  slow  movement  after  some  introductory  harp  ar- 
peggios opens  with  a  sombre,  pathetic  theme  for  the  flutes 
and  clarinets,  several  times  repeated,  and  assigned  to  vari- 
ous instruments  until  the  oboe  appears  with  a  second 
theme,  the  accompanying  figure  of  which  is  based  upon 
the  old  Irish  song,  "  The  lament  of  the  sons  of  Usnach." 
Fresh  subjects  follow  with  elaborate  treatment,  leading  to  a 
general  pause,  which  prepares  the  way  for  the  "  Lament " 
theme.  A  reminiscence  of  the  beginning  of  the  movement 
and  the  harp  arpeggios  furnish  the  close. 

The  Finale,  Allegro  moderato  ma  con  fuoco,  is  based 
upon  two  Irish  songs,  —  the  first  of  which  ("  Remember 
the  glories  of  Brian  the  brave  ")  constitutes  the  first  theme. 
After  its  development  a  fresh  modulation  leads  up  to  the 
second  theme  for  string  orchestra  with  bassoons,  horn,  and 
contrabasses,  pizzicato,  followed  by  a  melodious  figure 
which  prepares  the  way  for  further  treatment  of  the  the- 
matic material  already  presented.  The  second  of  the  Irish 
themes  mentioned  above  is  now  given  out  by  three  trum- 
pets pianissimo  with  tremolo  accompaniment  of  violins. 
After  the  development  of  this  theme  occurs  the  ordi- 
nary reprise,  and  a  skilfully  treated  coda  concludes  the 
symphony. 


STRAUSS1 

1864- 

DON  JUAN.     OP.  20 

"  "T\ON  JUAN,"  the  first  published  of  Richard  Strauss' 
\»J  tone-poems,  was  written  in  November,  1880,  and 
performed  for  the  first  time  at  Weimar,  near  the  close  of 
the  same  year.  The  subject  of  the  work  is  taken  from  a 
poem  of  the  same  name,  written  by  the  Hungarian  poet 
Lenau.  The  hero  is  not  the  "  chartered  libertine  "  of  Mo- 
zart's immortal  "  Don  Giovanni,"  but  a  Don  who  is  in  love 
with  the  feminine  principle.  He  is  devoted  to  the  adora- 
tion of  the  whole  feminine  world  rather  than  the  pursuit  of 
the  individual.  The  text  "  through  every  realm,  O  friend, 
would  I  wing  my  flight,  wherever  beauty  blooms,  kneel 
down  to  each,"  shows  his  diffusiveness.  At  last  he  becomes 
pessimistic.  The  pursuit  of  beauty  palls.  "  Now  it  is  o'er, 
and  calm  all  round,  above  me ;  sheer  death  is  every  wish  ; 
all  hopes  o'ershrouded."  At  last  he  is  satisfied  to  give  up 
life  itself.  In  the  illustration  of  this  story,  Strauss'  music 
opens  with  a  variety  of  restless  themes,  occasionally  me- 
lodious in  bits,  but  more  frequently  discordant  without  res- 
olution. Don  Juan  makes  his  appearance  to  a  somewhat 

1  In  presenting  the  analysis  of  "  Don  Juan,"  as  well  as  of  the  re- 
maining tone-poems  by  Richard  Strauss,  no  attempt  will  be  made  to 
consider  them  in  detail.  The  instrumentation  is  much  too  compli- 
cated and  the  whole  orchestral  scheme  too  bizarre  and  unusual  to 
allow  of  it  without  occupying  undue  space  as  well  as  voluminous 
notation.  The  analysis  in  each  case  therefore  will  present  a  general 
view  of  the  works. 


STRAUSS  419 

brilliant  melody.  This  is  followed  by  desultory  love  epi- 
sodes, some  of  which  musically  are  as  unsatisfactory  to  the 
hearer  as  the  episodes  themselves  were  to  the  hero.  They 
invariably  end  in  a  restless  manner.  Don  Juan  in  desper- 
ation plunges  into  a  general  carnival  of  feminine  and 
vinous  revels,  depicted  by  music  intended  to  be  bacchana- 
lian, but  unintelligible  without  a  detailed  programme.  The 
debauch  closes  in  a  manner  indicating  the  hero's  fate,  and 
at  last  his  end  is  announced  by  the  trumpet. 


MACBETH.    OP.  23 

Although  "  Macbeth "  was  the  first  tone-poem  com- 
posed by  Strauss,  its  opus  number  follows  that  of  "  Don 
Juan."  Contrary  to  his  usual  custom,  the  composer  has 
furnished  no  key  to  its  contents  except  the  title  and  occa- 
sional hints  in  the  score.  He  evidently  did  not  intend  a 
setting  of  the  drama,  but  rather  musical  portraits  of  Macbeth 
and  Lady  Macbeth,  and  these  portraits,  it  must  be  confessed, 
are  presented  in  the  loudest  of  colors,  after  a  motive  which 
runs  through  the  whole  work,  given  out  by  the  violins. 
The  personal  motive  of  Macbeth  appears.  It  is  accom- 
panied by  a  counter  theme  and  leads  to  a  third  theme, 
the  meaning  of  which  is  left  to  the  imagination.  This 
prepares  the  way  for  a  vigorous  passage  for  flutes  and 
clarinets  which  the  score  annotation  intimates  in  the  Lady 
Macbeth  motive.  The  annotation  is :  "  Hie  thee  hither, 
that  I  may  pour  my  spirit  in  thine  ear."  The  motive  soon 
yields  to  a  more  passionate  one  given  out  by  the  violins. 
This,  when  thoroughly  developed,  gives  place  again  to  the 
Lady  Macbeth  motive.  The  latter,  however,  makes  but  a 
brief  reappearance  and  is  succeeded  by  a  sweet  and  very 
gracious  melody  for  the  violins,  which  at  last  joins  itself 
to  another  of  somewhat  similar  character,  the  two  pro- 
gressing through  unique  development  to  the  close. 


420     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

TOD  UND  VERKLARUNG.     OP.  24 

"  Tod  und  Verklarung  "  ("  Death  and  Transfiguration  ") 
was  written  in  1890  and  first  performed  at  Eisenach  in 
June  of  the  same  year.  The  composer  has  given  the  clew 
to  its  meaning  in  a  poem  by  Alexander  Ritter,  printed  on 
the  fly-leaf  of  the  score,  though,  singularly  enough,  the 
poem  was  written  after  the  author  had  heard  the  music. 
The  poem  describes  the  sleep  of  a  sick  man  "  who  a  mo- 
ment since  with  death  wildly,  desperately  has  struggled  ;  " 
the  renewal  of  the  struggle,  life  and  death  wrestling  for 
supremacy  and  silence  again  ;  the  delirium  in  which  the 
events  of  his  life  pass  in  review  in  the  mind  of  the  sufferer  ; 
then  the  final  struggle,  followed  by  the  transfiguration,  in 
which  he  triumphs  over  death.  The  opening  of  the  musi- 
cal description  is  a  largo,  low  toned  in  color  and  restless, 
but  with  occasional  melodious  episodes.  It  is  followed  by 
strangely  discordant  passages  evidently  intended  to  repre- 
sent the  renewal  of  the  struggle,  but  at  this  point  the  music 
assumes  a  more  melodious  character  as  the  memories  of 
youth  come  back.  In  the  final  struggle  the  musical  fury 
begins  again,  growing  more  and  more  indefinite  and  dis- 
cordant until  the  end  comes  and  the  din  ceases.  The 
transfiguration  music  which  closes  the  work  is  extremely 
impressive  and  full  of  that  majestic  beauty  which  is  at 
Strauss'  command  —  when  he  elects  to  display  it. 

TILL  EULENSPIEGEL.     OP.  28 

"  Till  Eulenspiegel "  was  first  performed  at  Cologne, 
November  5,  1895.  The  music  represents  the  eccentric 
career  of  a  roving  Merry  Andrew,  the  droll  tricks  which  he 
played,  and  his  final  expiation  upon  the  gallows  for  prac- 
tical jokes  which  at  last  became  too  brutal  to  be  endured. 
In  the  old  legend  of  Till,  however,  he  does  not  come  to  the 


RICHARD  STRAUSS 


STRAUSS  421 

gallows,  but  escapes  it  by  trickery.  Strauss,  however, 
ruthlessly  sacrifices  him  in  the  close  with  explosive  music. 
The  themes  in  this  work  typify  the  hero  in  various  situa- 
tions, and  their  development  shows  the  droll  tricks  which  he 
plays.  His  ride  through  the  market-place  and  the  dismay 
of  the  market-women  as  their  wares  are  scattered  are  ac- 
companied by  imitative  music.  Unctuous  themes  display 
him  as  a  clerical  impostor  and  tender  passages  for  the 
violins,  clarinets,  and  flutes  tell  of  his  love  episodes.  Char- 
acteristic music  shows  him  fooling  the  university  doctors. 
At  last  ominous  tones  from  the  trombones  and  horns 
indicate  his  approaching  doom.  He  pays  no  attention  to 
them,  however,  until  hollow  rolls  of  the  drum  announce 
his  arrest.  His  fear  then  is  clearly  indicated.  The  bas- 
soons, horns,  trombones,  and  tubas  unmistakably  tell  of 
his  death,  and  his  soul  takes  its  flight  to  twitterings  of  the 
flutes.  A  brief  sort  of  in  memoriam  episode  closes  the 
music,  as  droll  as  the  tricks  of  its  subject. 

THUS  SPAKE  ZARATHUSTRA.     OP.  30 

"  Thus  Spake  Zarathustra,"  though  based  upon  a  philo- 
sophical subject,  is  one  of  the  most  popular  of  the  Strauss 
tone-poems,  perhaps  because  it  has  been  heard  more 
frequently  than  the  others.  It  was  inspired  by  a  "  prose 
poem  "  of  the  same  name,  written  by  Friedrich  Nietzsche. 
The  details  of  the  philosophical  story  of  Zarathustra,  or 
Zoroaster,  as  he  is  more  familiarly  known,  are  too  involved 
for  use  in  this  connection  and  perhaps  are  not  needed  for 
enjoyment  of  the  music;  which  is  very  impressive  and 
grows  upon  the  listener  by  successive  hearings.  Strauss 
has  liberally  annotated  his  score  with  the  headings  of 
chapters  in  the  Nietzsche  text. 

The  work  opens  with  a  stately  theme  by  trumpets  lead- 
ing to  a  powerful  climax  for  full  orchestra  and  organ 


422     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

which  is  the  most  impressive  feature  of  the  tone-poem. 
Then  follow  new  themes  under  the  headings  of  "  Back 
World's  Men  "  and  of"  Great  Longing,"  the  music  descrip- 
tive of  Zarathustra's  "  going  down  "  to  teach  the  doctrine 
of  the  Overman  and  the  "  Longings  "  of  those  in  the  Back 
World  for  higher  things.  Another  theme,  given  out  by 
the  violins,  sings  of  their  "  Delights  and  Passions,"  fol- 
lowed by  the  "  Grave  Song  "'  —  a  tender  melody  for  oboe 
which  is  worked  up  in  conjunction  with  the  "  Longings  " 
theme.  The  despair  of  science  is  treated  as  a  fugal  epi- 
sode based  upon  the  opening  motive,  followed  by  furious 
and  at  times  dissonant  outbursts  from  the  full  orchestra. 
An  episode,  "  The  Convalescent,"  is  devoted  to  an  opti- 
mistic view  of  humanity.  .  This  is  followed  by  the  jubila- 
tions of  the  Overman  expressed  in  the  "  Dance  Song," 
which  is  anything  but  terpsichorean  in  character.  "  To 
the  general  "  it  must  be  "  caviar."  At  last  twelve  strokes 
of  the  bell  usher  in  the  "  Song  of  the  Night  Wanderer  " 
and  a  short  passage  —  the  very  spirit  of  perplexity  and 
doubt  —  being  set  in  two  keys,  involving  a  mysterious 
discord,  closes  this  extraordinary  music  which  illustrates 
such  vague  and  mystic  philosophical  gropings. 

DON  QUIXOTE.     OP.  35 

"  Don  Quixote "  is  absolute  programme-music  and 
programme-music  run  wild  in  which  Strauss  has  well-nigh 
exhausted  the  ordinary  orchestral  effects  and  invented  new 
ones.  It  is  written  in  variation  form  and  personal  motives 
are  assigned  to  Don  Quixote,  on  the  'cello,  and  to  Sancho 
Panza,  on  the  viola,  the  first  appearing  in  the  introduction 
which  describes  knightly  feeling  and  the  hero's  resolve  to 
become  a  knight.  But  as  Don  Quixote  pursues  his  studies 
of  chivalry  and  realizes  the  duties  as  well  as  the  pleasures 
it  entails,  he  turns  out  a  madman  as  explained  by  the  most 
incoherent  of  dissonances. 


STRAUSS  423 

His  journey  now  begins  and  a  series  of  pictures  describ- 
ing his  adventures  follows,  in  variation  form.  It  first  depicts 
his  attack  upon  the  windmills,  the  rushing  of  the  air  rep- 
resented by  violin  trills  and  strange  wood-wind  effects,  and 
his  own  downfall  by  wood  winds  emphasized  by  the  ever- 
useful  kettle-drums.  In  the  second  he  makes  his  furious 
onslaught  upon  the  herd  of  sheep  whose  frightened  bleating 
is  clearly  discernible  on  the  muted  brasses.  The  third 
noisily  tells  of  the  dispute  of  the  knight  and  his  squire 
over  chivalry.  In  the  fourth  we  behold  him  making  his 
attack  upon  the  pilgrims  as  they  chant  their  ecclesiastical 
music,  mistaking  them  for  robbers.  The  fifth  and  sixth 
tell  of  his  longings  for  his  Dulcinea  and  the  trick  which 
Sancho  plays  upon  him  by  pointing  out  a  homely  peasant 
woman  as  the  real  object  of  his  raptures.  In  the  seventh 
occurs  the  absurd  episode  of  the  supposed  journey  of  the 
Don  and  his  squire  through  the  air,  the  wind  effect  being 
made  by  harp,  kettle-drum,  flutes,  and  an  ingenious  wind 
machine.  The  eighth,  a  barcarole,  describes  the  ride  to 
the  enchanted  boat,  and  the  ninth  his  encounter  with  the 
two  priests.  In  the  tenth  he  has  his  last  adventure  with 
the  Knight  of  the  White  Moon,  which  ends  his  knightly 
career.  In  the  Finale  his  reason  returns  but  the  shiver  of 
the  violins  tells  of  his  rapidly  approaching  death.  It  is 
followed  by  strange  harmonies,  and  at  last  the  'cello  marks 
the  end  of  his  follies  and  of  his  life. 

EIN  HELDENLEBEN.     OP.  40 

"Ein  Heldenleben"  ("A  Hero- Life")  was  first  per- 
formed at  Frankfort,  March  3,  1899.  It  tells  the  story  of 
a  hero,  his  struggles  with  mankind,  with  love,  with  the 
enemy  on  the  battle-field,  his  development  of  high  thought, 
his  intellectual  and  peaceful  achievements,  and  at  last  his 
departure  from  the  world. 

There  is  no  introduction.     The  opening  theme,  horn 


424     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

and  strings,  describes  the  characteristics  of  the  hero,  and 
other  motives  referring  to  attributes  of  his  nature  also  ap- 
pear and  are  worked  up  to  an  impressive  climax.  The 
contests  with  his  fellow-men  are  depicted  in  a  genuine 
illustration  of  philosophy  and  ethics  in  music.  The  love 
music  is  charming  throughout  and  closes  with  a  duet  for 
violin  and  oboe.  The  fourth  section  of  the  work  describes 
the  clash  and  fury  of  battle,  which  concludes  with  a  splendid 
song  of  victory  whose  pealing  harmony  is  fairly  majestic. 
Then  follows  the  hero's  peace  conquests  in  which  the  com- 
poser has  introduced  themes  from  nearly  all  his  tone- poems, 
his  opera  "  Guntram,"  and  some  of  his  songs.  The  last 
section  relates  the  hero's  passage  from  this  world,  pre- 
luded with  reminiscences  and  closing  with  a  mighty 
outburst  from  the.  whole  orchestra  —  fit  tribute  to  the 
passing  of  a  hero.  The  work  is  grand  in  its  conception 
and  treatment,  and  in  some  passages  rises  to  inspiration. 

SlNFONIA    DOMESTICA 

"Sinfonia  Domestica"  ("Domestic  Symphony")  de- 
scribes a  day  in  the  composer's  family  life.  It  contains 
three  themes,  one  for  the  father,  one  for  the  mother,  and 
one  for  the  child,  and  subsidiary  themes  are  accepted  as 
representing  "  the  sisters,  the  cousins,  and  the  aunts."  It 
is  afar  step  downwards  from  "Zarathustra"  and  "Helden- 
leben,"  and  has  not  even  the  dignity  of  "  Don  Quixote  " 
in  the  sheep  episode,  or  the  air  ride.  It  lacks  both  quality 
and  dignity.  A  great  conductor,  to  whom  Strauss  sent  this 
work,  and  who  had  introduced  most  of  his  tone-poems  in 
America,  made  to  the  author  the  pertinent  criticism  that 
a  composer  should  never  intrude  his  personality  or  his 
domestic  affairs  upon  the  public.  He  should  have  re- 
membered Schumann's  words :  "  A  composer  must  not 
show  his  heart  to  the  public." 


SULLIVAN 

1842-1901 

ON  SHORE  AND  SEA 

THE  cantata  "  On  Shore  and  Sea "  was  written  for 
the  London  International  Exhibition  of  1871.  The 
solo  parts  are  allotted  to  La  Sposina,  a  Riviera  woman, 
and  II  Marinajo,  a  Genoese  sailor.  The  action  passes  in 
the  sixteenth  century,  at  a  port  of  the  Riviera  and  on 
board  of  a  Genoese  and  Moorish  galley  at  sea.  The  can- 
tata opens  with  a  joyous  sailors'  chorus  and  the  lament  of 
the  mothers  and  wives  as  the  seamen  weigh  anchor  and 
set  sail.  The  scene  then  changes  to  the  sea.  On  board 
one  of  the  galleys,  in  the  midnight  watch,  the  Marinajo 
invokes  the  protection  of  Our  Lady,  Star  of  the  Sea,  for 
the  loved  one  left  behind.  The  scene  next  changes  to  the 
return  of  the  fleet,  triumphant  in  its  encounters  with  the 
Moorish  vessels.  The  women  throng  to  the  shore,  headed 
by  La  Sposina,  to  welcome  the  sailors  back,  but  the  galley 
on  board  which  her  lover  served  is  missing.  It  has  been 
captured  by  the  Moors,  and  in  a  pathetic  song  she  gives 
expression  to  her  sorrow.  In  the  next  scene  we  find  him 
toiling  at  the  oar  at  the  bidding  of  his  Moorish  masters. 
While  they  are  revelling  he  plans  a  rising  among  his  fellow- 
captives,  which  is  successful.  They  seize  the  galley  and 
steer  back  to  the  Riviera,  entering  port  amid  choruses  of 
rejoicing.  The  cantata  is  full  of  charming  melodies,  the 
instrumentation  is  Oriental  in  color,  and  the  choruses, 
particularly  the  closing  ones,  are  stirring. 


426     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 


THE  GOLDEN  LEGEND 

"  The  Golden  Legend  "  was  first  produced  at  the  Leeds 
Musical  Festival,  October  16,  1886.  The  adaptation  of 
Longfellow's  poem  for  the  Sullivan  cantata  was  made 
by  Joseph  Bennett,  who,  while  omitting  its  mystical  parts, 
except  the  prologue,  has  confined  himself  to  the  story  of 
Prince  Henry  and  Elsie.  All  the  principal  scenes,  though 
sometimes  rearranged  to  suit  the  musical  demands  of  the 
composer,  have  been  retained,  so  that  the  unity  of  the 
legend  is  preserved. 

The  prologue,  representing  the  effort  of  Lucifer  and 
the  spirits  of  the  air  to  tear  down  the  cathedral  cross,  is 
used  without  change.  The  part  of  Lucifer  is  assigned  to 
the  barytone  voice,  the  spirits  of  the  air  to  the  sopranos 
and  altos,  and  the  bells  to  the  tenors  and  basses,  the  whole 
closing  with  the  Gregorian  Chant.  The  orchestral  accom- 
paniment is  realistic,  particularly  in  the  storm  music  and 
in  the  final  number,  where  the  organ  adds  its  voice  to  the 
imposing  harmony.  The  first  scene  opens  with  the  solilo- 
quy of  Prince  Henry  in  his  chamber  ("  I  cannot  sleep  "), 
followed  by  a  dramatic  duet  with  Lucifer,  describing  the 
temptation,  and  closes  with  a  second  solo  by  the  Prince, 
accompanied  by  a  warning  chorus  of  angels.  The  second 
scene  opens  before  the  cottage  of  Ursula  at  evening,  with 
a  short  alto  recitative  ("Slowly,  slowly  up  the  wall  ")  with 
pastoral  accompaniment,  followed  by  an  effective  choral 
hymn  ("  O  gladsome  light !  ")  sung  by  the  villagers  ere 
they  depart  for  their  homes,  the  Prince's  voice  joining  in 
the  Amen.  The  remainder  of  the  scene  includes  a  dia- 
logue between  Elsie  and  her  mother,  in  which  the  maid 
expresses  her  determination  to  die  for  the  Prince,  and  a 
beautiful  prayer  ("  My  Redeemer  and  my  Lord ")  in 
which  she  pleads  for  strength  to  carry  out  her  resolution, 


SIR  ARTHUR  SULLIVAN 


SULLIVAN  427 

closing  with  her  noble  offer  to  the  Prince,  which  he  ac- 
cepts, the  angels  responding  Amen  to  the  blessing  he  asks 
for  her. 

The  third  scene  opens  with  Elsie,  the  Prince,  and  their 
attendants  on  the  road  to  Salerno  where  the  cure  is  to  be 
effected  by  her  sacrifice.  They  fall  in  with  a  band  of  pil- 
grims, among  whom  is  Lucifer  in  the  disguise  of  a  monk. 
The  two  bands  part  company,  and  as  night  comes  on  the 
Prince's  attendants  encamp  near  the  sea.  The  continuity 
of  the  narrative  is  varied  by  a  simple,  graceful  duet  for 
the  Prince  and  Elsie  ("  Sweet  is  the  air  with  budding 
haws  ") ;  the  Gregorian  music  of  the  pilgrims  in  the  dis- 
tance ("  Cujus  clavis  lingua  Petri  ") ;  the  mocking  charac- 
teristic song  of  Lucifer  ("  Here  am  I  too  in  the  pious 
band  ")  interwoven  with  the  chant ;  the  song  of  greeting  to 
the  sea  by  the  Prince  ("  It  is  the  sea  ") ;  and  an  effective 
solo  for  Elsie  ("  The  night  is  calm  and  cloudless  "),  which 
is  repeated  by  full  chorus  with  soprano  obligato  dwelling 
upon  the  words  "  Christe  Eleison."  The  fourth  scene 
opens  in  the  Medical  School  at  Salerno,  and  discloses 
Lucifer  disguised  as  the  physician  Friar  Angelo,  who  re- 
ceives Elsie  and  takes  her  into  an  inner  apartment,  not- 
withstanding the  protests  of  the  Prince,  who  suddenly 
resolves  to  save  her,  and  finally  effects  her  rescue.  The 
music  to  this  scene  is  very  dramatic,  and  it  also  contains  a 
short,  but  striking  unaccompanied  chorus  ("  Oh,  pure  in 
heart !  "). 

The  fifth  scene  is  short.  It  passes  at  the  door  of 
Ursula's  cottage,  where  a  forester  brings  the  mother  the 
news  of  Elsie's  safety  and  of  the  Prince's  miraculous 
cure.  The  dialogue  is  followed  by  a  prayer  of  thanks- 
giving ("  Virgin,  who  lovest  the  poor  and  lowly  ").  The 
last  scene  opens  on  the  terrace  of  the  castle  of  Vauts- 
berg.  It  is  the  evening  of  the  wedding  day,  and  amid 
the  sound  of  bells  heard  in  the  distance  the  Prince  relates 


428     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

to  Elsie  the  story  of  Charlemagne  and  Fastrada,  at  the 
close  of  which  the  happy  pair  join  in  an  exultant  duet. 
The  cantata  ends  with  a  choral  epilogue,  worked  up  to  a 
fine  fugal  climax  in  which  Elsie's  "  deed  divine  "  is  com- 
pared to  the  mountain  brook  flowing  down  from  "  the  cool 
hills  "  to  bless  "  the  broad  and  arid  plain." 


THE  PRODIGAL  SON 

"The  Prodigal  Son,"  the  first  of  Sullivan's  oratorios, 
was  written  for  the  Worcester  Festival  in  England,  and 
performed  for  the  first  time  September  8,  1869.  It  is  a 
short  work,  comprising  but  eighteen  numbers,  and  exceed- 
ingly melodious  in  character.  In  reality  there  are  but  six 
of  the  eighteen  numbers  concerned  with  the  narration  of 
the  parable.  The  remainder  moralize  upon  the  story  and 
illustrate  its  teaching. 

After  a  short,  simple  orchestral  prelude,  an  opening 
chorus,  beginning  with  soprano  solo  ("  There  is  joy  in  the 
presence  of  the  angels  of  God  "),  and  also  containing  alto 
and  bass  solos,  gives  the  key  to  the  whole  work  in  reflec- 
tive style,  as  it  proclaims  the  rejoicing  in  heaven  over  the 
"  one  sinner  that  repenteth."  At  its  conclusion  the  para- 
ble begins  with  tenor  recitative  and  solo  ("  A  certain  man 
had  two  sons  "),  in  which  the  Prodigal  asks  for  his  portion 
of  goods.  In  a  bass  aria  preceded  by  recitative,  the 
father  gives  him  good  advice  ("  Honor  the  Lord  "),  and 
presumably  his  portion  also,  as  the  soprano  recites  in  the 
next  number  that  "  he  took  his  journey  into  a  far  country, 
and  there  wasted  his  substance  in  riotous  living."  There- 
upon follows  a  melodious  and  vivacious  chorus  ("  Let  us 
eat  and  drink;  to-morrow  we  die")  in  which  the  tenor 
has  an  important  part.  The  response  to  the  bacchanal 
comes  in  the  next  number,  a  brief  chorus  beginning  with 
the  alto  recitative  ("  Woe  unto  them  !  ").  One  of  the  gems 


SULLIVAN  429 

of  the  work,  a  pretty  alto  song  ("  Love  not  the  world  "), 
intervenes  at  this  point.  At  its  conclusion  the  narrative 
is  resumed. 

After  an  effective  prelude  by  orchestra,  the  soprano  re- 
citative relates  the  famine  and  the  experiences  of  the 
Prodigal  among  the  swine,  leading  up  to  the  aria  ("  Oh, 
that  thou  hadst  hearkened  ").  The  tenor  follows  with 
an  expressive  aria  ("  How  many  hired  servants  of  my 
father's  ").  The  narrative  again  halts  to  give  place  to  a 
taking  chorus  ("  The  sacrifices  of  God  "),  after  which  we 
have  the  return  and  reconciliation  ("  And  he  arose  and 
came  to  his  father "),  —  a  dramatic  duet  for  tenor  and 
bass,  followed  by  the  vigorous  and  exultant  bass  aria 
("  For  this  my  son  was  dead  ")  of  the  father.  The  para- 
ble ends  here ;  but  the  music  goes  on  moralizing  upon 
and  illustrating  the  theme  in  four  effective  numbers,  —  the 
chorus  ("Oh,  that  men  would  praise  the  Lord"),  which  is 
the  longest  and  best  constructed  in  the  work ;  the  recita- 
tive and  aria  for  tenor  ("  Come,  ye  children ") ;  the 
unaccompanied  quartette  ("  The  Lord  is  nigh  ")  ;  and 
the  final  chorus  ("Thou,  O  Lord,  art  our  Father"), 
closing  with  a  Hallelujah  in  full,  broad  harmony. 

THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD 

Sir  Arthur  Sullivan's  second  oratorio,  "The  Light  of  the 
World,"  is  laid  out  upon  a  much  larger  scale  in  every  way 
than  "  The  Prodigal  Son."  It  was  written  for  the  Birming- 
ham Festival  of  1873,  and  was  given  for  the  first  time  on 
August  27  of  the  same  year.  The  purpose  of  the  work, 
as  the  composer  explains  in  his  preface,  is  to  set  forth  the 
human  aspects  of  the  life  of  our  I-ord  upon  earth  by  the 
use  of  some  of  the  actual  incidents  in  His  career  which 
bear  witness  to  His  attributes  as  preacher,  healer,  and 
prophet. 


430     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

The  first  part  has  four  scenes,  "  Bethlehem,"  "  Naz- 
areth," "Lazarus,"  and  "The  Way  to  Jerusalem."  The 
scenes  of  the  second  part  are  laid  entirely  in  Jerusalem. 
"  Bethlehem  "  includes  the  message  of  the  angels  to  the 
shepherds,  their  visit  to  Mary,  the  nativity,  the  warning  by 
the  angel  to  Mary  and  Joseph  of  Herod's  design,  the  lament 
and  consolation  of  Rachel  in  Rama,  and  the  promise  of 
God's  blessing  upon  the  Child.  In  "  Nazareth  "  we  have 
a  scene  representing  Christ  in  the  synagogue  reading  from 
Isaiah  and  declaring  himself  the  object  of  the  prophecy, 
his  expulsion  by  the  incredulous  crowd  of  listeners,  and 
his  exhortations  to  his  disciples,  when  left  alone  with  them, 
to  bear  their  persecutions  with  meekness.  "  Lazarus  "  de- 
scribes the  journey  to  Bethany  and  the  Lord's  assurances 
to  the  bereaved  sisters  that  their  brother  shall  rise  again. 
"  The  Way  to  Jerusalem  "  scene  is  indicated  by  its  title,  — 
the  entry  of  the  Lord  into  the  city  amid  the  hosannas  and 
exultant  acclamations  of  the  people.  In  the  second  part 
we  have  the  discourse  concerning  the  sheep  and  the  goats, 
the  interview  between  the  ruler  and  the  people,  and  the 
former's  anger  with  Nicodemus,  the  sufferings  and  death 
of  Christ,  and  the  resurrection  and  joy  of  the  disciples 
as  they  glorify  God  and  sing  the  praises  of  their  risen 
Master. 

The  work  opens  with  a  prologue  chorus  ("  There  shall 
come  forth  a  rod  out  of  the  stem  of  Jesse  "),  at  the  close 
of  which  the  "Bethlehem  "  scene  begins.  It  is  preluded 
with  a  quiet  but  effective  pastoral  movement  for  the  or- 
chestra, a  tenor  recitative  ("There  were  shepherds  abid- 
ing in  the  field"),  and  a  contralto  solo  announcing  the 
heavenly  message  to  the  shepherds,  which  lead  up  to  a 
spirited  "  Gloria "  by  the  sopranos  and  altos,  followed 
by  a  chorus  of  the  shepherds  ("  Let  us  now  go  even  unto 
Bethlehem  ")  for  male  voices.  A  shepherd,  in  brief  recita- 
tive passages,  declares  to  Mary,  "  Blessed  art  thou  among 


SULLIVAN  431 

women,"  followed  by  the  soprano  solo,  "  My  soul  doth 
magnify  the  Lord."  After  the  Virgin's  expression  of 
thanks  the  shepherds  join  in  the  chorus  ("  The  whole 
earth  is  at  rest"),  which  is  peculiarly  striking  in  its  con- 
trasts. A  short  recitative  by  the  angel,  warning  Mary  to 
flee  into  Egypt,  is  followed  by  a  sombre  chorus  ("  In  Rama 
was  there  a  voice").  At  its  close  the  tenor  is  heard  in  a 
tender  aria  ("Refrain  thy  voice  from  weeping"),  leading 
to  a  chorus  full  of  spirited  harmony,  and  rising  to  an  effec- 
tive climax  ("I  will  pour  my  spirit"),  which  closes  the 
scene. 

The  "Nazareth"  scene  opens  with  a  barytone  solo 
("  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me ")  in  which 
Jesus  declares  himself  in  the  synagogue  as  the  object 
of  the  prophecy  from  Isaiah  which  He  has  been  read- 
ing. The  Jews  answer  in  a  dramatic  chorus  ("Whence 
hath  this  man  his  wisdom?").  Again  Jesus  interposes 
with  the  declaration,  "  A  prophet  is  not  without  honor 
save  in  his  own  country  ;  "  whereupon  the  people  break 
out  in  a  still  more  dramatic  chorus  ("  Is  not  this  Jesus?  "). 
For  the  third  time  Jesus  declares  Himself,  followed  by  the 
stirring,  furious  chorus,  "Why  hear  ye  Him?"  A  tender 
and  at  times  fervid  solo  ("  Lord,  who  hath  believed  our 
report?")  leads  to  an  effective  quintet  ("Doubtless  Thou 
art  our  Father ").  After  another  brief  barytone  solo 
("Blessed  are  they")  we  come  to  the  chorus  ("He 
maketh  the  sun  to  rise"),  which  is  one  of  the  most 
beautifully  written  in  the  work,  and  closes  the  scene. 

The  third  scene,  "  Lazarus,"  begins  with  the  description 
of  the  mournful  journey  to  Bethany,  the  arrival  among  the 
kindred  and  friends,  who  are  trying  to  comfort  the  bereaved 
sisters,  and  closes  at  the  still  unopened  grave.  It  includes 
a  duet  between  tenor  and  barytone,  the  former  a  disciple, 
the  latter  Jesus,  whose  music  is  invariably  sung  by  the  bary- 
tone voice ;  a  solo  for  alto  ("  Weep  ye  not  for  the  dead  ") 


432     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

with  a  sombre  orchestral  prelude,  and  accompanied  by  a 
chorus  in  its  close ;  a  dialogue  between  Martha  and  Jesus 
("  Lord,  if  Thou  hadst  been  here  ")  ;  a  short,  but  beautiful 
chorus  ("  Behold  how  He  loved  him  !  ")  ;  the  barytone 
solo  ("Said  I  not  unto  thee  ")  ;  and  a  final  chorus  of 
great  power  ("The  grave  cannot  praise  Thee"). 

The  last  scene  of  the  first  part,  "  The  Way  to  Jerusalem," 
is  brilliant  throughout,  and  is  in  cheerful  contrast  with  the 
general  sombreness  of  the  preceding  numbers.  It  opens 
with  a  brief  dialogue  between  Jesus  and  a  disciple  ("  Mas- 
ter, get  Thee  out,  and  depart  hence  "),  which  leads  to  a 
charming  three-part  chorus  for  children's  voices  ("  Ho- 
sanna  to  the  Son  of  David"),  with  a  prominent  harp  part 
in  the  accompaniment,  and  worked  up  to  a  fine  climax. 
A  brilliant  soprano  solo  ("  Tell  ye  the  daughter  of  Zion  ") 
intervenes,  followed  by  a  short  dialogue  between  Jesus  and 
a  Pharisee  which  leads  to  the  vigorous  chorus  of  the  dis- 
ciples ("Blessed  be  the  kingdom  ").  After  another  bary- 
tone solo  ("  If  thou  hadst  known,  O  Jerusalem  ")  the 
children's  Hosanna  is  repeated, —  this  time  with  the  power 
of  the  full  chorus ;  and  the  first  part  comes  to  a  close. 

The  second  part  begins  with  a  long  overture  effectively 
written,  and  intended,  as  the  composer  himself  says,  to 
indicate  the  angry  feelings  and  dissensions  caused  by  the 
Lord's  presence  in  Jerusalem.  At  its  close  the  barytone, 
in  one  of  the  most  forcible  solos  assigned  to  this  part 
("When  the  Son  of  Man  shall  come  in  His  glory"), 
discourses  the  parable  of  the  sheep  and  goats.  The 
wondering  chorus  of  the  people  ("  Is  not  this  He  whom 
they  seek  to  kill?")  follows,  and  then  ensues  a  somewhat 
tedious  scene.  A  ruler  argues  with  the  people,  contempt- 
uously asking  if  Christ  shall  come  out  of  Galilee.  The 
people  remain  unconvinced,  however.  Nicodemus  then 
strives  to  reason  with  the  ruler,  with  the  natural  effect 
of  making  him  angry.  All  this  leads  up  to  an  effective 


SULLIVAN  433 

female  chorus  ("  The  hour  is  come  ").  In  a  tender  and 
pathetic  solo  ("  Daughters  of  Jerusalem  ")  Jesus  sings  his 
farewell.  The  incidents  of  the  crucifixion  are  avoided,  as 
the  work  is  intended  only  to  illustrate  the  human  career  of 
Jesus.  The  rest  of  the  story  is  told  in  narrative  form  ;  an 
unaccompanied  quartette  ("Yea,  though  I  walk")  and  a 
powerful,  but  gloomy  chorus,  describing  Christ's  sufferings 
("Men  and  brethren"),  bring  us  to  the  sepulchre.  The 
scene  opens  with  the  plaint  of  Mary  Magdalene  ("  Where 
have  they  laid  Him  ?  ")  and  the  response  of  the  angel,  who 
tells  her  Christ  has  risen,  which  is  followed  by  a  six-part, 
unaccompanied  chorus  ("The  Lord  is  risen").  A  short 
tenor  solo  ("  If  ye  be  risen  with  Christ ")  leads  directly 
to  the  final  chorus  ("Him  hath  God  exalted"),  which  is 
worked  up  in  fugal  form  with  much  spirit. 


SYMPHONY  No.  i,  IN  E  MINOR 

1.  ANDANTE.    ALLEGRO  MA  NON  TROPPO  VIVACE. 

2.  ANDANTE  ESPRESSIVO. 

3.  ALLEGRETTO. 

4.  ALLEGRO  VIVACE  E  CON  BRIO. 

Mr.  Sullivan's  First  symphony  was  written  in  1866, 
and  was  first  played  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  London.  It 
adheres  to  the  old  form  of  absolute  music  in  that  it  has  no 
programme.  It  begins  with  an  introduction,  Andante,  in 
which  a  phrase  is  announced  by  the  basses  that  not  only 
dominates  the  introduction  proper,  but  does  good  service 
in  the  succeeding  Allegro.  The  introduction  leads  directly 
to  the  Allegro,  the  first  theme  of  which  is  given  out  by  the 
violins,  and  based  upon  the  phrase  already  mentioned. 
The  full  orchestra  is  employed  in  its  development,  after 
which  follows  an  episode  for  the  wind  instruments,  accom- 
panied by  the  violas,  and  leading  to  the  entrance  of  the 
second  subject,  which  is  first  indicated  by  the  violins  and 

28 


434    STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

clarinet,  but  not  clearly  shown  until  it  is  given  out  by  the 
flute  with  the  violins  in  octaves.  The  usual  repeat  brings 
the  first  part  of  the  movement  to  a  close.  In  the  second 
part  the  first  and  second  themes  are  elaborated  with  great 
ingenuity,  and  reach  an  impressive  climax,  after  which  a 
vigorous  coda  ends  the  movement. 

The  second  movement,  Andante  espressivo,  after  a  brief 
prelude  begins  with  a  theme  for  the  horns  and  alto  trom- 
bones, which  is  fully  developed,  and  then  gives  place  to 
the  second  theme,  for  the  clarinets.  The  new  theme, 
however,  occupies  a  subordinate  position,  as  the  first  soon 
returns,  and  is  treated  with  charming  effect.  A  new  sub- 
ject presents  itself  near  the  close  in  a  solo  for  clarinet,  and 
the  movement  ends  quietly  with  reminiscences  of  the 
principal  subject. 

The  third  movement,  Allegretto  instead  of  Scherzo, 
opens  with  a  fresh  and  effective  theme  given  out  by  the 
oboe  with  string  accompaniment.  It  is  twice  repeated, 
first  by  the  'cellos  and  bassoons  with  flute  and  clarinet 
accompaniment,  and  then  by  the  winds  with  string  accom- 
paniment, after  which  the  second  theme  appears,  divided 
between  the  flutes  and  violins.  Its  treatment  leads  to  the 
trio,  the  subject  of  which  is  assigned  to  the  clarinets  in 
octaves.  After  its  repetitions  the  principal  theme  returns, 
and  closes  the  movement. 

The  Finale,  Allegro  vivace  e  con  brio,  opens  at  once 
with  a  vigorous  subject  for  full  orchestra  which  is  developed 
in  masterly  style.  A  graceful  little  episode  prepares  the 
way  for  the  second  subject,  given  out  by  the  violins  with 
counter  theme  for  the  winds.  The  rest  of  the  movement 
is  devoted  to  the  elaboration  of  this  material  until  the 
reprise  is  reached,  after  which  the  movement  progresses 
clearly  and  forcibly  to  the  end. 


TCHAIKOVSKY 

1840-1893 

SYMPHONY  No.  2  IN  C  MINOR.    OP.  17 

t.   ALLEGRO  vivo.  3.   SCHERZO. 

2.   ANDANTINO  MARCIALE.      4.  MODERATO  ASSAI. 

TCHAIKOVSKY'S  Second  symphony,  sometimes 
called  the  "  Little  Russian  Symphony,"  was  written 
in  1873,  and  was  first  performed  in  Moscow.  It  is  con- 
sidered the  most  national  of  all  this  composer's  works,  as 
it  is  based  largely  upon  Russian  themes.  After  a  long 
introduction,  founded  upon  a  melody,  elegiac  in  style, 
the  main  part  of  the  movement  begins  with  a  theme  given 
out  by  the  violins,  accompanied  by  the  remaining  strings, 
which,  after  development  by  full  orchestra,  leads  to  a 
second  theme  for  oboe,  accompanied  by  clarinets  and 
bassoons,  then  passing  to  the  violas  and  'cellos  with  a 
counter  theme  for  violins.  After  a  short  free  fantasie  the 
recapitulation  begins,  closing  with  the  coda  and  bits  of 
the  beautiful  melody  of  the  introduction. 

The  second  movement  opens  with  the  kettle-drums 
which  furnish  an  accompaniment  to  the  first  theme,  bor- 
rowed from  a  march  in  the  composer's  unpublished  opera, 
"  Undine,"  and  stated  by  the  clarinets  and  bassoons.  The 
first  violins  furnish  the  second  theme,  repeated  by  bassoons 
and  'cellos.  The  two  themes  are  beautifully  elaborated, 
and  the  movement  closes  with  the  kettle-drum  beats 
which  began  it. 

The  first  violins  have  the  opening  theme  of  the  Scherzo, 
followed  by  a  chromatic  passage  for  second  violins  and 


436     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

violas,  which  leads  to  the  second  theme  for  the  first 
violins.  After  its  embellishment  and  the  retarn  of  the 
first  theme  the  trio  follows,  based  on  a  theme  for  wood 
winds  and  horns,  most  elaborately  worked  up.  The 
movement  ends  with  a  repetition  of  the  Scherzo  and 
coda. 

The  Finale  is  exceedingly  brilliant.  Its  first  theme,  a 
little  Russian  song  called  "The  Crane,"  is  given  out  by 
the  first  violins,  followed  by  a  second  original  theme,  also 
for  violins.  These  two  themes,  the  first  being  mainly 
dominant,  are  beautifully  worked  up  to  a  powerful  climax, 
the  symphony  closing  with  a  coda  full  of  vitality  and 
brilliancy. 

SYMPHONY  No.  4,  IN  F  MINOR.    OP.  36 

1.  ANDANTE  SOSTENUTO.    MODERATO  CON  ANIMA. 

2.  ANDANTINO  IN  MODO  DE  CANZONA. 

3.  SCHERZO.    PIZZICATO  OSTINATO. 

4.  FINALE.    ALLEGRO  CON  FUOCO. 

The  Fourth  symphony  was  written  in  1878,  and  was 
regarded  by  Tchaikovsky  as  his  finest  work.  It  stands 
almost  alone  in  that  composer's  music  for  its  humorous 
characteristics,  which  are  all  the  more  strange  when  it  is 
considered  he  was  mentally  depressed  while  writing  it. 
The  first  movement  opens  with  a  somewhat  stately  intro- 
duction, at  the  close  of  which  the  first  theme  enters  upon 
the  first  violins  and  'cellos  to  the  accompaniment  of  the 
other  strings  and  horns.  After  a  vigorous  development  a 
quiet  passage  occurs,  leading  to  a  subsidiary  plaintive  theme 
for  clarinets,  after  which  the  second  theme  enters  on  the 
'cellos.  It  is  not  long,  however,  before  the  first  theme  is 
heard  again  and  it  soon  assumes  the  chief  importance.  This 
section  is  most  elaborately  worked  up,  and  the  move- 
ment finally  comes  to  a  close  with  the  utmost  vigor  and 
brilliancy. 


PETKR  TCHAIKOVSKY 


TCHAIKOVSKY  437 

In  the  second  movement,  one  of  the  most  fascinating 
Tchaikovsky  ever  wrote,  Andantino,  in  modo  canzona,  the 
canzona,  or  song,  is  given  out  by  the  oboe,  accompanied  by 
the  strings  pizzicato.  The  song  is  next  taken  up  by  the  'cello 
with  accompaniment  of  wood  winds,  horns,  and  basses.  It 
next  passes  to  the  strings,  the  accompaniment  continually 
growing  fuller  and  richer  until  a  strong  climax  is  reached. 
The  bassoons  and  'cellos  now  take  the  song  in  unison,  the 
former  soon  followed  by  the  violins,  the  flutes  and  clarinets 
furnishing  a  graceful  accompaniment.  After  a  brief  epi- 
sode the  violins  once  more  take  up  the  song,  followed  by 
one  group  of  instruments  after  another  until  the  beautiful 
melody  dies  away  on  the  bassoons. 

The  third  movement  is  unique  for  its  pizzicato  string 
accompaniment  which  runs  through  the  whole  movement 
whenever  the  strings  are  playing.  When  they  are  not,  the 
same  effect  is  produced  by  the  wood  winds  and  brasses. 
The  opening  theme  is  most  brilliant,  and  is  given  out  by 
the  violins.  The  second  is  slower  and  is  stated  by  the  oboes 
and  bassoons.  After  its  statement  the  clarinets  take  the 
theme  faster,  accented  by  the  piccolos  and  accompanied 
by  the  brasses.  Then  the  first  theme  returns  on  the  first 
violins,  alternating  with  the  wood  winds.  The  second 
theme  is  touched  upon  once  more,  after  which  the  move- 
ment closes  pianissimo. 

The  Finale  is  a  brilliant  Allegro.  The  full  orchestra  gives 
out  the  first  theme,  quickly  followed  by  the  second  on  the 
wood  winds.  After  the  repetition  of  the  first  the  third  is 
stated  by  the  full  orchestra.  The  movement  is  devoted  to 
the  development  of  these  three  themes,  and  in  the  treat- 
ment the  effect  runs  from  double  fortissimo  to  pianissimo, 
the  movement  coming  to  its  close  with  a  crescendo  of 
tremendous  energy. 


438     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 


SYMPHONY  No.  5,  IN  E  MINOR.     OP.  64 

1.  ANDANTE.    ALLEGRO  CON  ANIMA.          3.  VALSE. 

2.  ANDANTE  CANTABILE.  4.   FINALE. 

The  Fifth  symphony  was  written  in  1887,  ar>d  reflects 
one  of  the  sad  moods  of  the  composer.  The  introduction 
is  based  upon  an  exceedingly  sombre  theme  which  is 
prominent  all  through  the  work.  It  leads  to  an  Allegro 
which  is  more  animated  in  character  and  is  based 
upon  two  subjects,  one  of  them  melancholy  in  color  but 
the  other  bright  and  vigorous.  After  their  development, 
however,  the  sombre  theme  of  the  introduction  reappears, 
finally  dying  away  on  the  bassoons. 

The  second  movement  is  in  the  form  of  a  romance,  the 
melody  being  given  out  by  solo  horn,  then  passing  to 
'cello  and  afterwards  to  the  strings.  The  theme  is  one  of 
exceptional  beauty  and  is  followed  by  new  themes  for  oboe 
and  clarinet,  the  development  of  which  is  serious  in  char- 
acter, leading  to  a  tremendous  climax,  the  whole  orchestra 
joining  in  the  opening  theme.  The  second  part  of  the 
movement  is  based  upon  the  same  themes  and  works  up 
to  a  similar  climax,  the  theme  returning  fitfully,  and  the 
movement  closes  with  a  coda  based  upon  the  second 
theme. 

In  place  of  the  conventional  Scherzo  the  composer  has 
given  us  a  very  graceful  and  poetical  waltz  based  upon 
two  themes,  its  flow  being  interrupted  occasionally  by  the 
reentrance  of  the  principal  theme  of  the  first  movement. 

The  Finale  has  a  long  introduction  in  which  this  princi- 
pal theme  is  heard  again.  After  being  worked  up  to  a 
grand  crescendo  it  disappears.  After  an  impetuous  sub- 
sidiary theme  is  developed  the  second  theme  is  given  out, 
first  by  the  wood  winds  and  then  by  the  violins.  From 


TCHAIKOVSKY  439 

this  point  to  the  close  these  two  themes  are  treated,  but 
the  ominous  theme  of  the  introduction  is  continually  prom- 
inent. The  situation  clears  up  at  last,  however,  and  the 
symphony  ends  with  a  vigorous  climax.  One  Russian 
writer  says :  "  The  entire  symphony  seems  to  set  forth 
some  dark  spiritual  experience.  Only  at  the  close  the 
clouds  lift,  the  sky  clears,  and  we  see  the  blue  stretching 
pure  and  clear  beyond." 


SYMPHONY  No.  6,  IN  B  MINOR  (PATHETIQUE).    OP.  74 

1.  ADAGIO.    ALLEGRO  NON  TROPPO. 

2.  ALLEGRO  CON  GRAZIA. 

3.  ALLEGRO  MOLTO  VIVACE. 

4.  FINALE.    ADAGIO  LAMENTOSO. 

The  Sixth  symphony,  which  the  composer  named  the 
"  Pathetic  "  after  its  first  performance,  was  written  in  1893. 
One  of  his  biographers  says  he  seems  to  have  concentrated 
in  this  symphony  the  brooding  melancholy  which  is  the 
most  characteristic  of  all  his  emotional  phases.  Be  this 
as  it  may,  it  is  one  of  the  most  stirring  and  impressive  of 
all  his  instrumental  works.  He  left  no  programme  for  it. 
Indeed,  he  wrote  to  a  friend  that  the  programme  must  re- 
main a  riddle  to  every  one,  and  to  the  same  friend :  "  I 
love  it  as  I  have  never  loved  any  other  of  my  musical  cre- 
ations." To  the  general  hearer  the  symphony  must  ever 
present  itself  as  a  curious  medley  of  human  emotions  and 
passions. 

The  first  movement  opens  with  an  Adagio  introduction 
in  which  one  of  the  figures  of  the  first  theme  is  given  out 
by  the  bassoons  against  a  droning  bass  and  most  ingen- 
iously worked  up.  The  second  theme  is  a  melody  of  "  pur- 
est ray  serene,"  which  will  always  haunt  the  memory.  It 
is  developed  quietly  and  slowly.  As  it  ceases  the  power- 
ful first  theme  returns  and  is  developed  with  furious  energy. 


440     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

As  the  storm  dies  away,  the  beautiful  second  theme  returns 
and  the  movement  closes  in  the  quietest  of  pianissimos. 

The  second  movement,  Allegro  con  grazia,  is  in  striking 
contrast  with  the  first.  It  has  little  of  the  conventional 
Scherzo  character,  as  it  is  set  to  the  dance  rhythm,  the  prin- 
cipal theme  being  given  out  by  the  'cellos  with  pizzicato 
accompaniment  in  the  strings  and  alternating  chords  in  the 
wood  winds  and  horns.  The  second  theme  is  of  a  plain- 
tive sort,  but  it  is  soon  replaced  by  the  sparkling  first,  and 
the  movement  ends  placidly  and  cheerfully. 

The  third  movement,  Allegro  molto  vivace,  opens  with  a 
truly  vivacious  theme  alternately  taken  by  the  strings  and 
wood  winds.  The  strings  finally  usurp  the  theme  and  the 
wood  winds  develop  a  counter  theme.  The  contest  be- 
tween these  two  at  last  ends  in  a  grand  march  movement, 
introduced  by  the  brasses  aud  gradually  taken  up  by  the 
whole  orchestra  with  magnificent  power  and  almost  bar- 
baric effect. 

The  last  movement,  Adagio  lamentoso,  is  well  named. 
It  is  the  apotheosis  of  sorrow  and  despair.  Few  composers 
would  have  the  courage  to  end  a  symphony  with  an  Adagio, 
still  fewer  with  an  Adagio  so  gloomy  that  it  has  been  called 
"  suicide  music."  It  has  no  regular  form  and  well-nigh 
defies  analysis.  It  is  a  succession  of  mournful  outcries, 
despairing  laments,  and  wretched  hopelessness,  and  yet  is 
worked  up  with  great  dramatic  power.  Its  intensity  is 
tragic.  It  is  a  relief  when  its  last  measures  die  away 
pianissimo.  After  hearing  it  one  can  understand  the  com- 
poser's remark  to  a  friend  :  "  Often  during  my  wanderings, 
composing  it  in  my  mind,  I  have  wept  bitterly." 


TCHAIKOVSKY  441 


SYMPHONY  AFTER  BYRON'S  "  MANFRED."     OP.  58 

1.  Manfred  is  wandering  about  in  the  Alps. 

2.  The  Spirit  of  the  Alps  appears. 

3.  Pastorale. 

4.  The  Underground  Palace  of  Arimanes. 

"  Manfred,"  described  as  "  a  symphony  in  four  scenes," 
was  written  in  1884.  Its  scenes  are  based  upon  Byron's 
"  Manfred  "  but  in  the  denouement  the  composer's  hero 
evidently  is  reconciled  to  heaven  and  does  not  die  rebel- 
lious. The  first  movement  opens  with  a  theme  which 
dominates  the  whole  symphony,  given  out  by  bassoons  and 
bass  clarinet,  and  typical  of  Manfred's  wretchedness  and 
anguish  of  soul.  A  second  mournful  phrase,  bassoons, 
horns,  oboe,  and  clarinets,  represents  his  appeal  for  forget- 
fulness.  Then  ensue  sinister,  foreboding  passages,  broken 
figures,  and  weird  effects  descriptive  of  his  futile  incanta- 
tions and  interwoven  with  them  the  mournful  love  subject, 
recalling  the  lost  Astarte. 

The  second  movement,  which  may  stand  for  the  Scherzo, 
is  almost  entirely  devoted  to  Manfred's  invocation  of  the 
Spirit  of  the  Alps,  and  is  a  most  charming  piece  of  nature- 
painting  in  music.  The  programme  annotation  reads : 
"  The  Spirit  of  the  Alps  appears  to  Manfred  in  the  rainbow 
over  the  waterfall."  The  music  vividly  paints  the  rush  of 
the  water  over  the  rocks,  the  reflection  of  the  sunlight,  the 
appearance  of  the  rainbow,  and  at  last  the  vision  of  the 
Spirit,  singing  her  fascinating  song,  first  violins  with  harp 
accompaniment.  The  pastoral  movement  which  follows  is 
equally  restful  and  beautiful,  but  amid  its  quiet  harmonies 
is  heard  the  gloomy  motive  which  represents  Manfred  as 
well  as  his  motive  of  longing  for  forgetfulness. 

The  second  and  third  scenes  are  gratefully  restful  after 
the  gloom  of  the  first  and  fourth  scenes.  The  opening 


442     STANDARD    CONCERT   GUIDE 

theme  of  the  final  scene  suggests  Manfred's  invocation. 
Suddenly  the  shrill  trills  of  the  strings  and  wood  winds  and 
the  weird  tones  of  the  brasses  and  cymbals  mark  the  be- 
ginning of  the  Spirit's  orgy  in  which  Manfred  is  a  partici- 
pant. The  orgy  becomes  a  veritable  delirium,  and  after  its 
close  the  motives  of  invocation  and  despair  as  well  as  of 
Astarte  follow  each  other  and  at  last  are  united  with  impres- 
sive power.  A  reference  is  made  to  the  "  Dies  Irae  "  with 
organ  accompaniment.  Manfred's  death  follows  after  a 
powerful  climax,  and  in  the  closing  measures  some  critics 
see  the  redemption  of  the  hero. 


VERDI 

1813- 1902 

THE  MANZONI  REQUIEM 

THE  history  of  "  The  Manzoni  Requiem  "  is  of  more 
than  ordinary  interest.  Shortly  after  Rossini's 
death,  in  1 868,  Verdi  conceived  the  idea  of  a  requiem  in 
his  memory,  to  be  written  by  many  hands,  which  should 
be  performed  in  the  cathedral  of  Bologna  on  each  centen- 
ary of  the  composer's  death,  but  upon  no  other  occasion 
and  at  no  other  place.  The  project  met  with  favor.  The 
work  was  laid  out  in  thirteen  numbers  and  assigned  to 
thirteen  Italian  composers,  Verdi  taking  the  "Libera  me," 
which  was  to  be  the  last  number  in  the  work.  Each  of 
the  composers  finished  his  task ;  but  when  the  parts  were 
joined  hi  a  complete  requiem  they  were  found  to  be  so 
dissimilar  in  treatment,  and  the  whole  work  so  incoherent 
and  lacking  in  symmetry  and  unity,  that  the  scheme  went 
no  further.  About  this  time,  1873,  Alessandro  Manzoni, 
the  founder  of  the  romantic  school  in  Italian  literature, 
died,  and  was  universally  mourned  by  his  countrymen. 
The  requiem  which  had  been  intended  for  Rossini  was 
now  written  by  Verdi  for  his  friend,  the  great  Italian 
patriot  and  poet.  It  was  performed  for  the  first  time 
at  Milan,  May  22,  1874,  the  anniversary  of  Manzoni's 
death,  with  Teresa  Stolz,  soprano ;  Maria  Waldmann,  alto ; 
Giuseppe  Capponi,  tenor ;  and  Ormondo  Maini,  bass ;  a 
chorus  of  a  hundred  and  twenty  voices,  and  an  orchestra 
of  a  hundred  and  ten. 


444     STANDARD    CONCERT    GUIDE 

The  "  Requiem  "  opens,  after  a  few  measures  of  prelude, 
with  the  chorus  chanting  the  appeal  for  rest,  sotto  voce, 
the  effect  being  carried  as  pianissimo  as  possible  until  the 
basses,  by  an  abrupt  change  of  key,  give  out  the  theme  of 
a  fugue  ("Te  decet  hymnus"),  written  in  pure  religious 
style.  The  introductory  "  Requiem "  is  repeated,  and 
leads  to  the  "  Kyrie,"  the  theme  of  which  is  stated  by  the 
tenor,  and  in  turn  taken  up  by  the  other  soloists,  the 
chorus  shortly  joining,  a  double  sextet  interwoven  with  it, 
and  the  whole  closing  pianissimo,  as  the  "  Requiem " 
opened. 

The  second  part,  the  "  Dies  Irae,"  is  in  strong  contrast 
with  the  first,  and  is  more  broadly  and  dramatically  worked 
up,  and  with  freer  accompaniment.  The  opening  chorus 
is  one  of  startling  power.  The  tenors  and  basses  open  the 
number,  immediately  followed  by  the  four  parts  announc- 
ing the  "  day  of  wrath  "  in  high,  sustained  notes,  while  the 
second  sopranos,  altos,  and  tenors  accompany  them  with 
immense  sweeps  of  sound  that  rise  and  fall  like  the  waves. 
There  are  nine  numbers  in  this  part  which  have  been  al- 
ready specified,  the  most  effective  of  them  being  the  Adagio 
trio  ("  Quid  sum  miser ")  for  soprano,  alto,  and  tenor, 
upon  which  Verdi  has  lavished  his  melodious  inspiration. 
The  trio  is  continually  interwoven  with  the  chorus  shouting 
fortissimo  the  "  Rex  tremendae  Majestatis,"  until  it  takes 
another  form  in  the  prayer  ("  Recordare  "),  a  duet  for 
soprano  and  alto  in  Verdi's  best  operatic  vein.  An  effec- 
tive tenor  solo  ("  Ingemisco"),  followed  by  a  solemn  and 
majestic  bass  solo  ("  Confutatis "),  leads  to  the  stirring 
measures  of  the  "  day  of  wrath  "  again,  and  closes  this 
part  in  a  powerful  ensemble,  both  vocal  and  dramatic. 

The  offertory  ("  Domine  Jesu  ")  is  a  quartette  with  three 
motives,  —  the  first  Andante,  the  second  Allegro,  and  the 
third  Adagio  in  Gregorian  form,  the  three  themes  being 
admirably  worked  up  and  accompanied.  The  "  Sanctus," 


GIUSEPPE  VERDI 


VERDI  445 

the  fourth  part  of  the  mass,  is  an  impressive  Allegro 
double  chorus,  followed  by  the  "  Agnus  Dei,"  a  duet  for 
soprano  and  alto  which  is  full  of  melodious  inspiration,  il- 
lustrated with  charming  instrumental  color.  The  sixth 
part  is  the  "  Lux  aeterna,"  a  trio  for  alto,  tenor,  and  bass 
which  leads  to  the  "  Libera,"  the  final  division  and  the 
climax  of  the  work.  In  its  general  effect  it  is  a  soprano 
obligato  with  chorus.  After  a  monotone  recitative  and 
solo  the  "  Dies  Irae  "  is  repeated,  likewise  the  "  Requiem 
aeternam,"  which  forms  the  introduction  of  the  mass,  and 
the  "  Requiem  "  closes  with  a  fugue  of  majestic  propor- 
tions, ending  with  the  same  pianissimo  effect  which  charac- 
terizes the  opening  of  the  work. 


VOLKMANN 

1815-1883 

SYMPHONY  No.  i,  IN  D  MINOR.     OP.  44 

1.  ALLEGRO  PATETICO. 

2.  ANDANTE. 

3.  SCHERZO.    ALLEGRO  MA  NON  TROPPO. 

4.  FINALE.     ALLEGRO  MOLTO. 

VOLKMANN'S  First  symphony,  written  during  his 
stay  in  Pesth,  in  its  general  structure  and  spirit 
clearly  shows  the  results  of  Beethoven's  influence,  and  yet 
is  characterized  by  great  freedom  and  originality.  The 
first  movement,  Allegro  patetico,  begins  with  a  theme  given 
out  by  the  strings  in  unison,  which  determines  at  once  the 
vigorous,  energetic  character  of  the  whole  movement.  The 
motive  is  retained  tenaciously  by  the  double-basses,  while 
the  wind  instruments  take  up  a  quiet  melody,  leading 
through  a  steady  crescendo  into  the  second  theme,  given 
out  by  full  orchestra.  This  is  followed  by  a  melodic 
phrase  carefully  and  skilfully  treated.  The  first  theme  is 
then  repeated,  after  which  the  various  subjects  are  em- 
ployed with  such  combinations  and  additions  as  appear  to 
grow  naturally  out  of  the  material,  the  whole  forming  a 
movement  of  great  strength  in  the  genuine  symphonic 
form. 

The  Andante  is  thoroughly  melodious.  Its  opening 
theme  is  first  given  out  by  the  clarinet,  leading  to  an  effec- 
tive climax.  This  is  followed  by  a  beautifully  harmonized 
passage,  moving  pianissimo  around  a  rhythmic  figure  on 
one  note  given  to  the  horns,  which  in  turn  leads  back  to 


VOLKMANN  447 

the  principal  melody  now  taken  up  by  the  strings  and 
subjected  to  elaborate  treatment. 

The  Scherzo  starts  off  briskly  with  a  theme  developed 
from  material  in  the  first  movement.  In  the  second  part 
the  customary  trio  changes  to  an  Andantino,  and  is 
thoroughly  romantic  and  winsome  in  style.  After  elabora- 
tion it  leads  back  to  the  Scherzo. 

The  Finale,  Allegro  molto,  is  stately  in  character  and 
severe  in  treatment.  It  contains  some  fine  contrapuntal 
writing,  but  is  always  clear  in  outline,  and  closes  with  a 
grand  climax.  The  second  subject  of  this  movement  is 
particularly  noticeable  for  its  combination  of  pathos  and 
joyousness. 


WAGNER 

1813-1883 

LOVE  FEAST  OF  THE  APOSTLES 

S  Liebesmahl  der  Apostel"  ("The  Love  Feast  of 
the  Apostles  "),  a  Biblical  scene  for  male  voices 
and  orchestra,  dedicated  to  Frau  Charlotte  Emilie  Weinlig, 
the  widow  of  the  composer's  old  teacher,  was  written  in 
1843,  and  was  first  performed  in  the  Frauen-Kirche  in 
Dresden  at  the  Men's  Singing  Festival,  July  6  of  that 
year. 

The  work  opens  with  a  full  chorus  of  disciples  ("  Ge- 
griisst  seid,  Bruder,  in  des  Herren  Namen  "),  who  have 
gathered  together  for  mutual  help  and  strength  to  endure 
the  persecutions  with  which  they  are  afflicted.  The  move- 
ment flows  on  quietly,  though  marked  by  strong  contrasts, 
for  several  measures,  after  which  the  chorus  is  divided,  a 
second  and  third  chorus  taking  up  the  two  subjects,  "  Uns 
droht  der  Macht'gen  Hass "  and  "  O  fasst  Vertrau'n," 
gradually  accelerating  and  working  up  to  a  climax,  and 
closing  pianissimo  ("  Der  Macht'gen  Spah'n  verfolgt  uns 
uberall  "). 

In  the  next  number  the  Apostles  enter  —  twelve  bass 
voices  —  with  a  sonorous  welcome  ("  Seid  uns  gegriisst, 
ihr  lieben  Bruder  "),  reenforced  by  the  disciples,  pianis- 
simo ("  Wir  sind  versammelt  im  Namen  Jesu  Christi "), 
the  united  voices  at  last  in  powerful  strains  ("  Allmacht'ger 
Vater  der  du  hast  gemacht  Himmel  und  Erd'  und  Alles 
was  darin  ")  imploring  divine  help  and  the  sending  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  to  comfort  them.  At  its  close  voices  on  high 


RICHARD  WAGNER 


WAGNER  449 

are  heard  ("  Seid  getrost,  Ich  bin  euch  nah,  und  Mein 
Geist  1st  mil  euch  ").  The  disciples  reply  with  increas- 
ing vigor  ("Welch  Brausen  erfiillt  die  Luft").  The 
Apostles  encourage  them  to  steadfast  reliance  upon  the 
Spirit  ("  Klein  muthige  !  Hort  an  was  jetzt  der  Geist  zu 
Kiinden  uns  gebeut "),  and  the  work  comes  to  a  close 
with  a  massive  chorale  ("  Denn  ihm  ist  alle  Herrlichkeit 
von  Ewigkeit  zu  Ewigkeit  "),  worked  up  with  overpower- 
ing dramatic  force,  particularly  in  the  instrumentation. 
Though  but  a  small  composition  compared  with  the 
masterpieces  for  the  stage  which  followed  it,  it  is  peculiarly 
interesting  in  its  suggestions  of  the  composer's  great 
dramatic  power. 


WEBER 

1786-1826 

JUBILEE  CANTATA 

THE  "Jubilee  Cantata"  was  written  in  1818  to  cele- 
brate the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  reign  of  King 
Friedrich  August  of  Saxony.  The  King  having  expressed 
a  desire  that  there  should  be  a  court  concert  on  the  day 
of  the  anniversary,  September  20,  Count  Vitzthum  com- 
missioned Weber  to  write  a  grand  jubilee  cantata.  The 
poet  Friedrich  Kind  supplied  the  words.  While  engaged 
in  its  composition  Weber  was  informed  by  friends  that 
other  arrangements  were  being  made  for  the  concert,  and  on 
the  twelfth  of  September  the  information  was  confirmed 
by  a  letter  from  the  Count  which  informed  him  that  not- 
withstanding his  personal  protests,  the  "  Jubilee  Cantata  " 
was  not  to  be  given.  The  son  in  his  biography  of  his  father 
intimates  that  the  change  was  the  result  of  intrigues  on  the 
part  of  his  Italian  rivals,  Morlacchi,  Zingarelli,  and  Nico- 
lini.  The  same  authority  says  that  the  cantata  was  finally 
produced  in  the  Neustadt  church  for  the  benefit  of  the 
destitute  peasantry  in  the  Hartz  Mountains,  Weber  him- 
self conducting  the  performance,  and  that  only  the  over- 
ture to  the  work,  now  famous  the  world  over  as  the 
"Jubel,"  was  played  at  the  court  concert.  The  best 
authorities,  however,  now  believe  that  the  Jubel  overture 
is  an  entirely  independent  work,  having  no  connection 
with  the  cantata.  The  text  of  the  cantata,  which  com- 
memorates many  special  events  in  the  life  of  the  King, 
being  found  unsuitable  for  general  performance,  a  second 


CARL  WEBER 


WEBER  451 

text  was  subsequently  written  by  Amadeus  Wendt,  under 
the  title  of  "  Ernte-Cantata  "  ("  Harvest  Cantata  "),  which 
is  the  one  now  in  common  use,  although  still  another  ver- 
sion was  made  under  the  name  of  "The  Festival  of 
Peace,"  by  Hampdon  Napier,  which  was  used  at  a  per- 
formance in  London  under  the  direction  of  the  composer 
himself  only  a  few  days  before  his  death. 

The  cantata  is  written  for  the  four  solo  voices,  chorus, 
and  orchestra.  It  opens  after  a  short  Allegro  movement 
with  a  full,  jubilant  chorus  ("  Your  thankful  songs  up- 
raise "),  the  solo  quartette  joining  in  the  middle  part  with 
chorus.  The  second  number  is  an  expressive  recitative 
and  aria  for  tenor  ("  Happy  nation,  still  receiving "). 
The  third  is  characterized  by  quiet  beauty,  and  is  devo- 
tional in  spirit.  It  begins  with  a  soprano  recitative  and 
aria  ("  Yet  not  alone  of  labor  comes  our  plenty  ")  lead- 
ing up  to  a  second  recitative  and  aria  ("The  gracious 
Father  hears  us  when  we  call "),  which  are  vivacious  in 
style,  closing  with  a  tenor  recitative  ("  The  air  is  mild  and 
clear  and  grateful  to  the  reapers  ").  These  prepare  the 
way  for  a  short  but  powerful  chorus  ("  Woe  !  see  the 
storm-clouds  ").  In  the  next  number  ("  How  fearful  are 
the  terrors  Nature  brings  ! ")  the  bass  voice  moralizes  on 
the  powers  of  Nature,  followed  by  a  plaintive  strain  for 
two  sopranos,  which  leads  up  to  a  majestic  prayer  for 
chorus  ("  Lord  Almighty,  full  of  mercy  ").  A  bass  reci- 
tative ("  Lo,  once  our  prayer ")  introduces  a  beautiful 
quartette  and  chorus  of  thanksgiving  ("  Wreathe  into  gar- 
lands the  gold  of  the  harvest ").  They  are  followed  by  a 
tenor  recitative  and  soprano  solo  ("Soon  noble  fruit  by 
toil  was  won "),  and  the  work  comes  to  a  close  with 
a  stately  chorus  of  praise  ("  Father,  reigning  in  Thy 
glory"). 


APPENDIX 

i 

THE   ORCHESTRA 

THE  word  "orchestra,"  which  originally  designated  the 
space  occupied  by  players,  has  come  to  signify  the 
players  themselves,  when  combined  for  the  production  of 
operas  or  of  such  large  works  as  are  described  in  this  volume. 
The  old  orchestras,  which  were  much  smaller  than  those 
of  the  present  time,  comprised  the  string  quintet  (first 
violins,  second  violins,  violas,  violoncellos,  and  double 
basses),  flutes,  oboes,  clarinets,  bassoons,  horns,  trumpets, 
kettle-drums,  and  sometimes  trombones.  In  the  modern 
orchestras  the  following  instruments  are  also  included : 
English  horn,  bass  clarinet,  double  bassoon,  tuba,  harp, 
bass  and  snare  drums,  cymbals,  triangle,  castanets,  caril- 
lons, gong,  and  xylophone ;  and  sometimes  the  string  sec- 
tions are  greatly  strengthened  to  allow  of  subdivision. 

The  modern  orchestra  is  divided  into  these  four  families 
or  sections :  strings,  wood  winds,  brasses,  and  percussion 
instruments,  or  "  the  battery."  The  string  section,  which 
is  the  backbone  of  the  orchestra,  includes  first  violins, 
second  violins,  violas,  violoncellos,  and  double  basses,  which 
correspond  to  the  tones  of  the  human  voice  as  follows : 
first  violins,  soprano ;  second  violins,  alto ;  violas,  tenor ; 
violoncellos,  barytone ;  and  double  basses,  bass. 

The  wood-wind  section  includes  clarinets,  flutes,  oboes, 
bassoons  (these  played  in  pairs),  bass  clarinets,  double 
bassoons,  English  horns,  and  piccolos. 

The  brass  section  includes  horns  (usually  called  French 
horn),  trumpets  (or  their  substitutes,  cornets),  trombones, 
tubas,  and  bass  tuba.  The  percussion  instruments  are 


454 


APPENDIX 


the  kettle-drums,  or  tympani,  bass  and  snare  drums,  tri- 
angle, cymbals,  tambourine,  castanets,  carillons,  xylophone, 
and  gong.  The  harp,  though  one  of  the  most  ancient  of 
instruments,  belongs  to  no  family.  It  is  a  comparatively 
recent  addition  to  the  orchestra  and  might  be  called  the 
hermit  thrush  of  the  harmonious  aggregation. 

The  violins  are  divided  into  firsts  and  seconds,  the 
seconds  only  differing  from  the  first  in  that  they  are  em- 
ployed to  fill  out  the  harmony  by  supplying  the  alto  voice. 
The  violin  is  familiar  to  every  one.  It  has  four  strings 
raised  above  the  belly  of  the  instrument  by  means  of  a 
bridge,  and  changes  of  pitch  are  effected  by  stopping  the 
strings  with  the  fingers,  thus  shortening  them.  In  addition 
to  its  natural  tones,  caused  by  pressure,  it  is  capable  of 
sweet,  flute-like  over-tones,  called  "  harmonics,"  produced 
by  the  player  touching  the  strings  at  certain  points. 
Pizzicato  tones  are  made  by  plucking  the  strings  with  the 
fingers,  and  the  softer  tones  by  affixing  an  appliance  called 
the  "  Sordino,"  or  "  mute,"  to  the  bridge.  The  viola  is  only 
a  larger  form  of  the  violin,  tuned  a  fifth  lower,  which  fills 
in  the  harmony  with  a  deeper  tone,  corresponding  to  the 
tenor  voice.  The  violoncello,  commonly  abbreviated  into 
'cello,  is  the  barytone  of  the  string  family.  It  is  usually 
coupled  with  the  double  basses  as  a  reinforcement,  but  often 
has  important  solo  work  assigned  to  it.  It  has  a  very 
sympathetic  and  almost  human  quality  of  tone,  as  deep  as 
that  of  the  double  bass,  as  sombre  as  that  of  the  viola, 
and  as  rich  as  that  of  the  violin.  It  is  the  most  satisfying 
singer  in  the  orchestra.  The  double  bass,  or  contra  bass, 
or  in  vulgar  parlance  the  "  bull  fiddle,"  is  really  the  bass 
singer  of  the  whole  orchestra  though  not  so  boisterous  as 
some  of  its  bass  companions  in  other  sections.  It  has  a 
deep,  broad,  rich  tone,  and  is  even  capable  of  producing 
beautiful  harmonics.  Its  pizzicatos  also  are  impressive, 
but  the  mute  is  not  usually  employed. 


APPENDIX  455 

In  the  wood-wind  section,  the  clarinet,  one  of  the  oldest 
of  instruments,  holds  first  place  by  virtue  of  its  tone  and 
the  demands  composers  make  upon  it.  Unlike  the  oboe, 
English  horn,  and  bassoon,  it  is  played  with  a  single  reed. 
It  is  the  richest  in  tone  of  all  the  wood  winds.  Its  lower 
tones  are  somewhat  coarse  and  hollow,  but  the  others  are 
warm,  brilliant,  and  powerful,  and  it  almost  equals  the 
flute  in  ornate  and  rapid  facility.  The  bass  clarinet  is  an 
octave  deeper  and  is  of  different  shape,  having  a  bell 
mouth.  The  clarinet  and  bassoon  are  the  real  wood-wind 
foundation.  Every  one  knows  the  flute,  oldest  and  more 
bird-like  of  all  instruments.  It  is  the  only  one  of  the 
wood  winds  played  from  a  side  mouthhole,  for  which 
reason  it  is  sometimes  called  the  traverse  flute.  The 
beak  flute,  like  the  flageolet,  for  instance,  is  a  flute  with  a 
mouthpiece.  The  flute  tone  is  gentle  and  sweet,  and  the 
instrument  is  peculiarly  adapted  for  trills  and  rapid  pas- 
sages. The  piccolo  is  only  a  small  flute  of  higher  range 
and  more  piercing  tone.  It  produces  the  highest,  shrill- 
est, and  most  penetrating  tone  in  the  orchestra.  The 
oboe  is  a  double  reed  instrument.  Some  of  its  tones  are 
weak  and  others  shrill  and  nasal,  but  the  general  quality  is 
plaintive  and  pastoral  and  very  tender,  even  melancholy 
when  the  subject  is  at  all  sombre.  In  the  hands  of  an 
expert  player  it  can  be  made  effective  even  as  a  solo 
instrument,  and  concertos  have  been  written  for  it.  It  is  a 
modest  little  instrument,  but  very  dignified,  for  it  gives  out 
the  A  for  the  orchestra's  tuning.  The  English  horn,  or  cor 
anglais,  is  often  mistaken  by  those  unfamiliar  with  instru- 
ments, who  seek  for  it  in  the  brass  section.  It  is  all  the 
more  mystifying,  for  it  is  neither  English  nor  horn.  It  is 
the  alto  oboe,  of  deeper  tone,  a  fifth  below,  and  partakes 
of  the  oboe's  plaintive  quality.  The  bassoon  is  not  a  dig- 
nified instrument  in  form  or  quality.  It  has  a  double  reed 
like  the  oboe.  Its  higher  and  medium  tones  are  not 


456  APPENDIX 

unmusical,  when  they  fit  into  the  general  harmony,  but  its 
lower  tones  are  deep  and  guttural  and  coarse.  It  some- 
times affects  an  air  of  dignity,  but  it  is  more  at  home  in 
the  grotesque  and  is  usually  played  by  elderly,  serious  per- 
sons. As  a  solo  instrument  it  is  uncouth  and  uncanny. 
The  double  bassoon  is  an  octave  lower.  It  is  to  the 
bassoon  what  the  double  bass  is  to  the  'cello. 

In  the  brass  section  the  French  horn  holds  the  leading 
place.  It  is  really  an  evolution  from  the  old  hunting  horn. 
It  has  a  smooth,  rich,  velvety  tone,  and  the  full  harmony 
of  a  quartette  of  horns  is  exceptionally  beautiful.  Its 
"  open  "  tones  are  made  by  blowing  and  manipulation  of 
the  lips  and  the  "  closed  "  tones  by  closing  the  bell  of  the 
instrument  with  the  hand.  The  trumpet  is  not  often 
heard  in  orchestras,  its  place  being  taken  by  the  B  flat  cor- 
net, which  has  not  so  pure  or  brilliant  a  tone  but  is  more 
easily  played  and  is  extremely  facile  in  every  kind  of 
tonal  utterance.  The  cornet  is  so  well  known  by  its  fre- 
quent use  as  a  solo  instrument  in  bands,  big  and  little,  that 
it  needs  no  detailed  description.  The  trombones  usually 
appear  in  triple  array,  alto,  tenor,  and  bass.  Soprano 
trombones  have  been  made,  but  they  have  not  proved 
effective.  Every  concert-goer  is  familiar  with  the  two 
tubes  sliding  in  and  out,  by  which  the  pitch  is  varied. 
Its  compass  is  a  little  more  than  two  octaves  and  in  the 
hands  of  a  finished  player  its  tone  is  majestic  and  im- 
pressive, and  at  the  same  time  it  is  capable  of  delicate  and 
melodious  effect.  The  tuba,  which  has  taken  the  place 
of  the  ophicleide,  belongs  to  the  saxhorn  family,  one  of 
the  seven.  It  has  a  deep,  noble  tone  and  is  the  dominat- 
ing bass  of  the  brasses. 

The  percussion  family  is  easily  distinguishable  by  its 
noise,  when  it  has  a  chance  to  make  it,  but  it  adds  rich 
color  to  instrumentation.  The  kettle-drums,  or  tympani, 
ordinarily  two  in  number,  one  high,  the  other  low,  though 


APPENDIX  457 

sometimes  three  and  four  are  used,  are  metal  basins 
headed  with  skin.  They  are  tuned  to  sound  certain  notes 
by  the  use  of  screws  and  are  specially  serviceable  in  ac- 
centuating rhythm,  heightening  effect,  and  adding  color. 
The  bass  drum  is  used  for  certain  sonorous  effects  and  with 
its  neighbors,  the  kettle-drums,  is  happy  in  a  thunder 
storm  or  cannonading.  The  snare  drum  supplies  the 
military  features  and  aids  march  rhythm.  The  cymbals 
are  metal  discs  clashed  together  to  heighten  effect.  The 
triangle  is  metallic,  of  the  shape  its  name  indicates,  and 
is  played  with  a  little  bar  of  the  same  metal.  The  caril- 
lons are  small  bars  of  steel,  which,  when  struck  with  a 
mallet,  give  out  bell  tones,  and  a  somewhat  similar  effect 
is  produced  upon  strips  of  wood  constituting  the  xy- 
lophone. The  gong  is  used  in  dirges  or  tragic  denoue- 
ments. The  castanets  and  tambourine  are  instruments  for 
dance-music  which  are  too  familiar  to  need  description. 


PROMINENT   MUSICAL   ORGANIZATIONS 

IT  would  be  impractical  to  present  a  complete  list  of 
vocal  and  instrumental  musical  organizations  in  the 
United  States  in  a  volume  of  this  nature.  They  would 
make  a  somewhat  bulky  directory  of  themselves,  as  they 
number  several  thousands.  In  compiling  the  subjoined 
list  only  the  large  organizations  have  been  selected  whose 
repertories  are  likely  to  contain  the  works  described  in  this 
volume.  The  arrangement  has  been  made  by  cities, 
alphabetically,  for  ease  in  reference : 

Albany,  N.  Y Albany   Music  Association.     Conductor,   Arthur 

Mees. 

Musical  Art  Choir.    Conductor,  F.  S.  Rogers. 

Amherst,  Mass.      .    .    .     Oratorio  Club.     Conductor,  W.  P.  Bigelow. 
Ann  Arbor,  Mich.     .    .     Choral  Union.    Conductor,  A.  A.  Stanley. 
Atchison,  Kans.     .    .   .     May  Festival  Association.    Conductor,  John  H. 

Davis. 
Atlanta,  Ga Musical  Festival  Association.    Conductor,  J.  L. 

Browne. 
Symphony  Orchestra.     Conductor,  J.  L.  Browne. 

Augusta,  Me Augusta  Chorus.     Conductor,  Latham  True. 

Aurora,  111 Musical  Club.     Conductor,  Clarence  Dickinson. 

Baltimore,  Md Choral  Society.    Conductor,  R.  L.  Haslup. 

Oratorio  Society.    Conductor,  Joseph  Pache. 

Bangor,  Me Festival  Association.    Conductor,  W.  R.  Chapman. 

Battle  Creek,  Mich.  .    .     Amateur  Music  Club.    Conductor,  Edward  Barnes. 
Bethlehem,  Pa Bach  Society.    Mr.  W.  E.  Doster,  Sec'y. 

Choral  Society.     Conductor,  D.  G.  Samuels. 

Birmingham,  Ala.      .   .     Musical  Art  Society.    Conductor,  A.  D.  Peterson. 
Boise,  Idaho Symphony  Orchestra.    Conductor,  Moses  Chris- 
ten sen. 
Boston,  Mass Apollo  Club.     Conductor,  Emil  Mollenhauer. 

Symphony  Orchestra.     Conductor,  Max  Fiedler. 

Choral  Art  Society.  Conductor,  Wallace  Goodrich. 


APPENDIX  459 

Boston,  Mass.  Handel  and  Haydn  Society.      Conductor,    Emil 

Mollenhauer. 

People's  Choral  Union.     Conductor,  S.  G.  Cole. 

Cecilia  Society.     Conductor,  B.  J.  Lang. 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.    ...     Amateur  Musical  Club.    Conductor,  H.  R.  Shelley. 

Apollo  Club.    Conductor,  John  Brewer. 

Arion  Singing  Society.  Conductor,  Arthur  Claasen. 

Oratorio  Society.    Conductor,  W.  H.  Hall. 

Cecilia.     Conductor,  Albert  Ewald. 

People's  Choral  Union.     Conductor,  T.  B.  Glasson. 
Buffalo,  N.  Y Orpheus.     Conductor,  Herman  Schloecht. 

Westminster  Choral  Society.     Conductor,  A.  M. 
Read. 

Burlington,  la Burlington    Musical    Club.      Conductor,   W.    F. 

Bentley. 


Cambridge,  Mass.     .    .     Pierian  Sodality  of  Harvard  University.  Conductor, 
Philip  G.  Clapp. 

Canton,  O Symphony  Orchestra.    Conductor,  C.  G.  Sonner. 

Charleston,  S.  C.  .   .    .     Philharmonic    Society.      Conductor,    F.    Brusch- 
weiler. 

Chicago,  111 Apollo  Musical  Club.    Conductor,  Harrison  Wild. 

Mendelssohn  Club.    Conductor,  Harrison  Wild. 
Theodore  Thomas  Orchestra.    Conductor,  Frede- 
rick Stock. 

Musical  Art  Society.    Conductor,  Clarence  Dick- 
inson. 
Germania    Mannerchor.     Conductor,   Hans   von 

Schiller. 

Freie  Sangerbund.   Conductor,  Gustav  Berndt. 
Chicago  Symphony  Orchestra.  Conductor,  Adolpb 

Rosenbecker. 

Madrigal  Club.    Conductor,  D.  A.  Clippinger. 
Philharmonic  Society.     Conductor,  T.  S.  Loverte. 

Cincinnati,  O Musical  Festival  Association.    Conductor,  F.  Van 

der  Stucken. 

Orpheus.    Conductor,  E.  N.  Glover. 
Apollo  Club.     Conductor,  J.  L.  Alden. 

Cleveland,  O Symphony  Orchestra.    Conductor,  Johann  Beck. 

Harmonic  Club.    Conductor,  J.  P.  Jones. 

Columbus,  O Oratorio  Society.    Conductor,  John  S.  Bayer. 

Symphony  Orchestra.    Conductor,  Franc  Ziegler. 
Columbus  Orchestra.    Conductor,  John  S.  Bayer. 


460 


APPENDIX 


Davenport,  la. 
Dayton,  O. 


Cbncord,  N.  H.      ...     Oratorio  Society.    Conductor,  C.  S.  Conant. 
Cumberland,  Md.      .    .     Festival  Chorus.    Conductor,  T.  E.  Morgan. 

.    .     Apollo  Club.    Conductor,  E.  L.  Philbrook. 
.    .     Philharmonic  Society.  Conductor,   W.  L.  Blumen- 
scheim. 

Denver,  Colo Apollo  Club.    Conductor,  F.  G.  Herbert. 

Choral  Society.    Conductor,  Gwilym  Thomas. 
Symphony     Orchestra.       Conductor,     Raffaello 

Cavallo. 
Des  Moines,  la.     ...     Apollo  Club.    Conductor,  L.  M.  Bartlett. 

Detroit,  Mich Concordia  Society.    Conductor,  Alois  Meurer. 

Orchestra  Association.    Conductor,  N.  J.  Covey. 
Symphony  Orchestra.    Conductor,  Hugo  Kaalson. 
Dubuque,  la Choral  Club.    Conductor,  N.  H.  Pontius. 

Evanston,  111 Musical  Club.    Conductor,  P.  C.  Lutkin. 

Fall  River,  Mass.  .    .    .     Fall  River  Choral  Association.    Conductor,  F.  L. 

Andrews. 

Faribault,  Minn.    .    .    .     Choral  Union.     Conductor,  A.  R.  Wiley. 
Frederick,  Md Choral  Society.    Conductor,  M.  Y.  Beckwith. 


Galesburg,  111 Musical  Union.     Conductor,  W.  F.  Bentley. 

Gloucester,  Mass.  .    .    .     Choral  Association.     Conductor,  A.  S.  Wonson. 
Grand  Rapids,  Mich.   .     Choral  Union.    Conductor,  N.  H.  Ross. 

St.    Cecilia    Society.      Conductor,    Wm.    M.    B. 
Wickstrom. 

Schubert  Club.    Conductor,  Francis  Campbell. 

Harrisburg,  Pa.      .    .    .     Symphony  Orchestra.     Conductor,  Edward  Sey- 
mour. 

Hartford,  Conn.     .    .    .     Philharmonic     Society.       Conductor,     John     L. 

Camp. 
Choral  Club.    Conductor,  R.  L.  Baldwin. 

Haverhill,  Mass.    .    .    .     Symphony  Orchestra.     Conductor,  Gerald  Whit- 
man. 

Homestead,  Pa.      .    .    .     Carnegie  Library  Orchestra.    Conductor,  Charles 
Mierzwa. 

Indianapolis,  Ind.      .   .     Oratorio  Society.    Conductor,  Edward  Taylor. 

Philharmonic    Society.       Conductor,    Ferdinand 

Schaefer. 
Symphony  Orchestra.    Conductor,  Karl  Schneider. 


APPENDIX  461 

Ithaca,  N.  Y Cornell  Festival  Chorus.     Conductor,  H.  E.  D. 

Dana. 

Kalamazoo,  Mich.     .    .     Academy  Orchestra.    Conductor,  George  Newell. 

Apollo  Club.    Conductor,  R.  P.  Warren. 
Kansas  City,  Mo.  .    .    .     Apollo  Club.    Conductor,  Edward  Kreiss. 

Philharmonic  Society.    Conductor,  Karl  Busch. 
Kokomo,  Ind Oratorio  Society.     Conductor,  W.  E.  Ranch. 

Symphony  Orchestra.     Conductor,  P.  L.  Nuss- 
baum. 

Little  Rock,  Ark.  .    .    .     Philharmonic  Society.    Conductor,  May  House. 
Louisville,  Ky Apollo  Club.    Conductor,  E.  A.  Simon. 

Philharmonic  Society.    Conductor,  Karl  Schmidt. 

Musical  Club.    Conductor, Gookins. 

Los  Angeles,  Cal.  .    .    .     Apollo  Club.    Conductor,  Harry  Bernhart. 

Choral  Society.    Conductor,  J.  A.  Jahn. 

Symphony      Orchestra.        Conductor,      Harley 
Hamilton. 

Philharmonic     Orchestra.       Conductor,     Arnold 

Kraus. 
Lynn,  Mass Oratorio  Society.    Conductor,  Emil  Mollenhauer. 

Manchester,  N.  H.    .    .     Choral  Society.    Conductor,  E.  G.  Hood. 
Milwaukee,  Wis.    .    .    .     Arion.    Conductor,  Daniel  Prothero. 

Musik  Verein.    Conductor,  Herman  A.  Zeitz. 

Mannerchor.    Conductor,  Albert  Kramer. 
Minneapolis,  Minn.  .   .     Apollo  Club.    Conductor,  H.  S.  Woodruff. 

Symphony   Orchestra.     Conductor,   Emil   Ober- 
hoffer. 

Philharmonic   Society.     Conductor,   Emil   Ober- 

hoffer. 
Montclair,  N.  J.    ...     Apollo  Club.    Conductor,  L.  R.  Dressier. 

Nashville,  Tenn.    .   .   .     Mozart  Society.    Conductor,  N.  H.  Wright. 
Newark,  N.  J Symphony  Orchestra.    Conductor,  L.  A.  Russell. 

Schubert  Society.    Conductor,  L.  A.  Russell. 

Orpheus  Club.    Conductor,  Arthur  Mees. 

Oratorio  Society.    Conductor,  L.  A.  Russell. 

New  Bedford,  Mass.     .     Choral  Association.    Conductor,  J.  A.  Ruggles. 
New  Haven,  Conn.    .    .     Oratorio  Society.    Conductor,  Horatio  Parker. 

Symphony  Orchestra.   Conductor,  Horatio  Parker. 

People's    Choral    Union.      Conductor,    W.     E. 
Haescher. 


462  APPENDIX 

New  Orleans,  La.     .    .     Apollo  Club.     Conductor,  Ferdinand  Dunkly. 

Crescent    City    Symphony    Society.      Conductor, 
Charles  F.  Gluck. 

New  Orleans  Choral  and  Symphony  Society.    Con- 
ductor, Ferdinand  Dunkly. 
New  York  City  ....     Arion.    Conductor,  Julius  Lorenz. 

Amateur  Glee  Club.    Conductor,  Arthur  Phillips. 

Mendelssohn    Glee    Club.      Conductor,    Frank 
Damrosch. 

Musical  Art  Society.     Conductor,  Frank  Dam- 
rosch. 

New  York  Festival  Chorus.     Conductor,  T.  E. 
Morgan. 

Liederkranz.    Conductor,  Arthur  Claasen. 

Oratorio  Society.    Conductor,  Frank  Damrosch. 

People's     Choral     Union.       Conductor,     Frank 
Damrosch. 

People's  Symphony  Concerts.    Conductor,  F.  X. 
Arens. 

Philharmonic  Society.    Conductors  Variable. 

Rubinstein  Club.    Conductor,  W.  R.  Chapman. 

Russian    Symphony    Society.      Conductor,    M. 
Altschuler. 

New  York  Symphony  Society.    Conductor,  Walter 
Damrosch. 

Norfolk,  Conn Litchfield  Co.  Choral  Union.     Conductor,  R.  P. 

Paine. 


Oberlin,  O.     .   .   . 
Omaha,  Neb.     .   . 


Orange,  N.  J.    .   . 

Orange,  East,  N.  J. 
Ottumwa,  la.     .    . 

Paterson,  N.  J.  .    . 

Peoria,  III 

Philadelphia,  Pa.  . 


Musical  Union.     Conductor,  E.  W.  Andrews, 
Philharmonic  Club.    Conductor,  Robert  Curcadon. 
Musical  Art  Society.    Conductor,  J.  H.  Simms. 
Festival  Chorus.     Conductor,  Benjamin  Stanley. 
Haydn  Orchestra.    Conductor,  S.  Van  Praag. 
Mendelssohn  Union.    Conductor,  Arthur  Mees. 
Musical  Art  Society.    Conductor,  A.  D.  Woodruff. 
Choral  Society.     Conductor,  James  Swirles. 

Choral  Society.    Conductor,  C.  M.  Wiske. 
Musical  Festival  Association.    H.  B.  Morgan,  Pres. 
Festival  Chorus.    Conductor,  T.  E.  Morgan. 
Philadelphia  Chorus.    Conductor,  H.  G.  Thunder. 
Harmonic  Singing  Society.     Conductor,  Eugene 

Klee. 
Choral  Society.     Conductor,  Henry  Holtt. 


APPENDIX  463 

Philadelphia,  Pa.  Philadelphia   Symphony   Orchestra.     Conductor, 

Carl  Pohlig. 

Mendelssohn  Club.    Conductor,  W.  W.  Gilchrist. 
Pittsburg,  Pa Festival  Orchestra.    Conductor,  Karl  Bareuther. 

Cecilia  Choir.    Conductor,  C.  N.  Boyd. 

Apollo  Club.    Conductor,  Reinhart  Mayer. 

Mozart  Club.    Conductor,  J.  P.  McCoIlum. 

Symphony  Orchestra.    Conductor,  Emil  Pauer. 
Portland,  Me Festival  Chorus.    Conductor,  L.  B.  Cain. 

Choral  Society.     Conductor,  A.  S.  Hyde. 
Providence,  R.  I.  .    .    .     Philharmonic  Orchestra.  Conductor,  H.  Schneider. 

Raleigh,  N.  C Choral  Society.     Conductor,  Wade  Brown. 

Richmond,  Va Wednesday  Club.     Conductor,  R.  H.  Peters. 

Rochester,  N.  Y.   .   .   .     Symphony   Orchestra.     Conductor,   Ludwig 

Schenck. 

Rockford,  HI Mendelssohn  Club.    Conductor,  Harrison  Wild. 

Rock  Island,  HI.    ...     Handel    Oratorio    Society.      Conductor,    F.    E. 

Peterson. 

Saginaw,  Mich Symphony  Orchestra.    Conductor,  H.  A.  Milliken. 

Salem,  Mass Oratorio  Society.    Conductor,  Emil  Mollenhauer. 

San  Francisco,  Cal.  .   .     Arion  Club.    Conductor,  Frederick  Zeck. 

Howe  Club.    Conductor,  James  H.  Howe. 

Loring  Club.     Conductor,  W.  C.  Stadtfeld. 
Schenectady,  N.  Y.   .    .     Choral  Society.    Conductor,  H.  W.  Darling. 

Seattle,  Wash Symphony    Orchestra.       Conductor,    Michael 

Kegrize. 

Sioux  City,  la Choral  Union.     Conductor,  J.  W.  Matthews. 

Spokane,  Wash.     .    .    .     Orchestra.     Conductor,  Adolph  Kirchner. 

Symphony  Orchestra.    Conductor,  A.  Bareuther. 

Springfield,  HI Arion  Club.     Conductor,  J.  W.  Freund. 

Springfield,  Mass.      .    .     Musical  Festival  Association.     Conductor,  J.  J. 

Bishop. 

South  Bend,  Ind.  .    .    .     Choral  Club.    Conductor,  M.  B.  Griffith. 
St.  Louis,  Mo Amphion  Club.     Conductor,  A.  G.  Robyn. 

Apollo  Club.     Conductor,  Arthur  Liever. 

Liederkranz.    Conductor,  Richard  Stempff. 

Symphony  Society.    Conductor,  Max  Zach. 

St.  Paul,  Minn.      .    .   .     Choral  Club.    Conductor,  G.  H.  Fairclough. 
Syracuse,  N.  Y.     ...     Choral  Society.    Conductor,  Henri  Bitter. 

Musical  Festival  Association.    Conductor,  Thomas 
Ward. 


464  APPENDIX 

Tiffin,  O University  Oratorio  Society.     Conductor,  E.  C. 

Zartman. 

Toledo,  O Symphony  Orchestra.     Conductor, 

Topeka,  Kans Choral  Society.     Conductor,  Geo.  B.  Penny. 

Orchestra  Society.     Conductor,  A.  Jebs. 
Troy,  N.  Y Choral  Club.     Conductor,  Allan  Lindsay. 

Washington,  D.  C.    .    .     Choral  Society.     Conductor,  Heinrich  Hammer. 

Festival  Chorus.     Conductor,  P.  S.  Foster. 

Coleridge  Taylor  Club.    Conductor,  J.  F.  Layton. 
Wichita,  Kans Choral  Club.    Conductor,  W.  H.  Leib. 

Apollo  Club.     W.  R.  Morrison,  Pres. 

Worcester,  Mass.   .    .    .     Worcester    Musical    Association.     Conductor, 
Wallace  Goodrich. 

Oratorio  Society.    Conductor,  J.  V.  Butler. 

Yonkers,  N.  Y Choral  Society.     Conductor,  Will  MacFarlane. 

York,  Pa Oratorio  Society.    Conductor,  Joseph  Pache. 

Schubert  Choir.     Conductor,  H.  G.  Thunder. 
Ypsilanti,  Mich.     .    .    .     Choral  Society.     Conductor,  F.  H.  Pease. 


INDEX 


"Aci,  Galatea,  c  Polifemo,"  194 

"Acis  and  Galatea,"  194 

"Actus  Tragicus,"  9 

"Advent  Hymn,"  392 

Albani,  Mme.,  189 

Albertazzi,  in  "Stabat  Mater,"  368 

Albrechtsberger,  18 

"Alexander's  Feast,"  196 

"All  that  is  of  God's  creation,"  12 

"Allegro,  L',"  196-198 

"Alles  was  von  Gott  geboren,"  12 

Ambros,  55 

"An  die  Freude,"  Schiller,  67 

"Antigone,"  Mendelssohn,  295-297 

"Apostles,  The,"  157-161 

"Ariadne,"  225 

"Ariana  a  Naios,"  225 

Arion  Society,  New  York,  88 

Arnold, ,  manager  of  the  King's 

Theatre  (1814),  15 
Arnold,  Sir  Edwin,  126,  283 
"As  the  Hart  pants,"  299 
Ascension  Cantata,  10 
"Athalia,"  Mendelssohn,  295 
Augsburg,  Diet  at,  11,  307 


B 


BACH,  1-12,  44,  79-81 
"Barber  of  Seville,"  232 
Bartholomew, ,  prepared  English 

version  "Mount  of  Olives,"  15 
Bartholomew,  William,  132 
"Battle  of  the  Huns,  The,"  273 
Beard,  Mr.,  vocalist,  208 
"Beatitudes,  The,"  165-168 
Beethoven,  2,    13-76,   99,    101,    118, 

150,  231,  233,  238,  245,  329,  351, 

399»446 
"Belle  au  Bois  Dormant,  La,"  136 


"Bells  of  Strasburg,  The,"  257 

Benedict,  77 

Bennett,  William   Steradale,   79-83, 

395 
Bennett,  Joseph,  138,  283,  285,    289, 

426 
"Berg  symphonic,"  symphonic  poem, 

Liszt,  263 

Berlioz,  35,  55,  66,  84-95 
"Bethlehem,"  289 
Birmingham  festivals,   79,  132,  136, 

155,  157,  160,  174,  189,  312,  314, 

358>  4°9»  4*9 

Bischoff, ,  56 

Bologna,  cathedral  of,  443 

Bomliet, ,  226 

Bosquin,  M.,  291 

Boston  Handel  and  Haydn  Society, 

338»  348 
Bradford  Triennial  Festival  of  1856, 

123 

Brahms,  96-106,  145 
Breitkopf    and    Hartel,    editors    of 

Haydn's  symphonies,  235,  238,  240, 

242,  244,  246 

"Bridal  of  Triermain,  The,"  130 
"Bride  of  Dunkerron,  The,"  409 
Bristol  Musical  Festival  of  1873,  279 
Brown,  Jessie,  in  defence  of  Lucknow, 

no 

Bruch,  107-114 
Biirckner,  115-119 
Buck,  Dudley,  120-129 
Burger,  author  of  ballad  "Lenore," 

353»  354 
Byron,  Lord,  269,  271,  441 


CAMBRIAN  Symphony,  Cowen,  416 
Campbell,  Sir  Colin,  1 10 
Capel-Cure,  Rev.  E.,  154 


3° 


466 


INDEX 


Capponi,  Giuseppe,  443 
Cardiff  Festival  of  1907,  349 
Carlyle's  translation   of   "Ein"  Feste 

Burg,"  II 

Gary-Raymond,  Anna  Louise,  348 
Cazalis,  Henri,  382 
Chicago,  1 1 6,  118 
Children's  Symphony,  236 
Choral  Fantasie,  67,  75 
Choral  Symphony,  66-75 
Chorley,  Henry  F.,  82,  254 
"Christ  on  the  Mount  of  Olives,"  13 
"Christmas,"  281 
"Christmas  Oratorio,"  Bach,  1-4 
"Christmas    Oratorio,"   Saint-Saens, 

380 

"Christus,"  Longfellow,  122 
"Christus  am  Oelberge,"  13 
Church  Choral  Society  of  New  York, 

346 

Cibber,  Mrs.,  208 
Cincinnati  Festival  of  1884,  96 
Cincinnati  May  Festival  Association, 

122 

Clive,  Mrs.,  208 

Cologne,  cathedral  of,  403 

Colomb,  Lady,  165 

"Columbus,"  Washington  Irving,  124 

"Comala,"  171 

Consecration    of    Sound    Symphony, 

414 

Constantina  siege,  memorial  of,  84 
Corder,  Frederick,  130 
Costa,  Sir  Michael,  132-135 
Country   Wedding   Symphony,    182- 

184 
Covent    Garden    Theatre,    London, 

196,  208,  216,  218,  228 
Cowen,  Frederick  H.,  136-142,  416 
"Creation,  The,"  209,  227-231,  414 
"Crusaders,  The,"  174-176 
Crystal  Palace,  London,  388,  433 
Culloden,  commemoration  of  victory 

of,  218 

D 

"DAMNATION  of  Faust,  The,"  88-91, 
93 


Damremont,  Gen.,  ^4 

Damrosch,  Dr.  Leopold,  88,  122 

"Dance  of  Death,"  382 

"Danse  Macabre,"  382 

Dante's  "  Divina  Commedia,"  Sym- 
phony to,  277 

"Death  and  Life"  ("Mors  et  Vita"), 
189 

"Death  and  Transfiguration"  ("Tod 
und  Verklarung"),  420 

"Death  of  Wallenstein,  The,"  Schil- 
ler, 362 

"Dedication  of  the  House,  The,"  16 

"Dettingen  Te  Deum,"  221 

Devrient, ,  297 

Divinax  Commedia  Symphony,  277 

Domestic  Symphony,  424 

"Don  Giovanni,"  418 

"Don  Juan,"  418,  419 

"Don  Munio,"  120-122 

"Don  Quixote,"  422,  424 

Dramatic  Symphony,  377-379 

"Dream  of  Gerontius,  The,"  155-158, 
160 

Drum,  used  as  solo  instrument,  2 

Drummond,  William,  337 

Dry  den,  John,  196 

Diisseldorf,  309,  393,  403 

Dvorak,  Antonin,  143-153 


"EARTHLY  Paradise,"  Morris,  159 

Eighth  symphony,  Beethoven,  61-67 

Eighth  symphony,  Raff,  355-357 

Eighth  symphony,  Schubert,  388 

"Ein'  Feste  Burg,"  Bach,  n 

Eleventh  symphony,  Haydn,  244-246 

Elgar,  Sir  Edward,  154-162 

"Eli,"  132-135 

"Elijah,"  310,  313-319 

Emerson,  Ralph  Waldo,  353 

"Engedi,"  15 

Enoch,  Frederick,  409,  410 

"Eolides,  Les,"  169 

"Episode  in  the  Life  of  an  Artist" 

(Symphonic  Fantastique),  91 
Erben,  Karel  Jaromir,  143 
"Erl  King's  Daughter,  The,"  173 


INDEX 


467' 


"Ernte-Cantata,"  451 
Eroica  Symphony,  31-38 
"Ever  let  the  Fancy  roam,"   Keats, 
336 


"FABLE  of  the  Fair  Melusina,  The," 

249 

"Fair  Ellen,"  109 
Fantasie  in  C  Minor,  Mozart,  242 
"Farewell  of  Hiawatha,  The,"  163 
"Faust,"  54,  294 
Faust  Symphony,  274-277 
Fest  Overture,  Nicolai,  12 
"Festa  Ascensionis  Christi,"  10 
"Festival  of  Peace,  The,"  451 
"Festklange  "  270 
"Fidelio,"  39 
Fifth  symphony,  Beethoven,  27,  39, 

45-5'.  55>  99 

Fifth  symphony,  Dvorik,  152 
Fifth  symphony,  Mendelssohn,  307- 

3°9 

Fifth  symphony,  Raff,  353-355 
Fifth    symphony,    Saint-Saens,  384- 

386 

Fifth  symphony,  Tchaikovsky,  438 
"Fioriture,"  Italian  term,  42 
First  symphony,  Beethoven,  18-26 
First  symphony,  Brahms,  98-101 
First  symphony,  Gade,  176-179 
First  symphony,  Goetz,  180 
First  symphony,  Haydn,  235-237 
First   symphony,   Rheinberger,   362- 

364 

First  symphony,  Schumann,  398 
First  symphony,  Sullivan,  433 
First  symphony,  Volkmann,  446 
"First     Walpurgis     Night,     The," 

Goethe,  294 

Fischer-Achten,  Mme.,  309 
Flechsig,  Emile,  395 
Foote,  Arthur,  163 
Formes,  Carl,  132 
Fourth  symphony,  Beethoven,  39-44, 

60 

Fourth  symphony,  Brahms,  105 
Fourth  symphony,  Bruckner,  1 16 


Fourth  symphony,  Gade,  178 
Fourth  symphony,  Mendelssohn,  305- 

307 
Fourth  symphony,  Rubinstein,  377- 

379 
Fourth  symphony,  Schumann,  404- 

406 

Fourth  symphony,  Spohr,  414 
Fourth  symphony,  Tchaikovsky,  436 
Franck, ,  writer  of  text  of  "Ein' 

Feste  Burg,"  12 

Franck,  C^sar  Auguste,  165-170 
Frauen-Kirche,  Dresden,  448 
"Fridolin,"  358-360 
Friedrich  August,  King,  of  Saxony, 

450 

"Frithjof,"  cantata,  107-110 
Frith jof  Symphony,  251-253 
" Frithjof 's  Saga,"  by  Esaias  Tegndr, 

Bishop  of  Wexio,  107,  251 
"From  the   Cradle  to  the  Grave," 

symphonic  poem  by  Liszt,  263 
From  the  New  World  Symphony,  152 
Friihlingsklange  Symphony,  355-357 
Fu'rst, ,  librettist  of  "Saint  Paul," 

3°9 


GADE,  Niels  Wilhelm,  171-179 
"Gang     nach     dem     Eisenhammer, 

Der,"  Schiller,  358 
Gasparin,  M.  de,  84 
Geissel,  Archbishop  von,  403 
"Geistliche      Lieder,"      Wittenberg, 

1535,  80 

"German  Requiem,"  96 
Gesellschaft       der       Musikfreunde, 

Vienna,  373 
Gewandhaus    concerts,    Leipsic,    99, 

i?6,  299,  389,  390,  394,  398,  400 
"Glocken  des  Strassburger  Munsters, 

Die,"  257 

"Glorious  Moment,  The,"  17 
"Glorreiche  Augenblick,  Der,"  17 
"God's  Time  is  the  Best  of  All,"  9 
Goethe,  173,  269,  275,  294 
Goetz,  Hermann,  180 
"Golden  Legend,  The,"  Buck,  122- 

124 


468 


INDEX 


"Golden  Legend,  The,"  Longfellow, 

122,  257 
"Golden    Legend,    The,"    Sullivan, 

426-428 

Goldmark,  Karl,  182-184 
"Gottes  Zeit,"  9 

Gounod,  Charles  Francois,  185-193 
Grabau,  Mile.,  309 
Graff,  William  Paul,  no 
"Great  Magnificat,"  7 

Grillparzer, ,  387 

Grisi,  in  "Stabat  Mater,"  368 
"Grosse  Sinfonie  in  A,"  61 
Grove,  Sir  George,  388 
"Guntram,"  424 


H 

HAMERIK,  Asgar,  122 
Hamilton,  Newturgh,  208 
"Hamlet,"  symphonic  poem  by  Liszt, 

263 
Handel  and  Haydn  Society,  of  Boston, 

338-  348 

Handel,  George  Frederick,  3,  9,  98, 
194-222,  227 

Hanslick, ,  398 

"Harold  in  Italy,"  93-95 

"Harvest  Cantata,"  451 

Harvey,  Frederick,  122 

Hatton,  223 

Havelock,  ,  in  defence  of  Luck- 
now,  109 

Haydn,  Josef,  18,  22,  24,  25,  64,  101, 
150,  209,  225-248,  414 

"Heilige  Augenblick,  Der,"  17 

"Heldenleben,  Ein,"  423,  424 

Henrici,  Christian  Friedrich,  4 

Herder,  Johann  Gottfried  von,  267 

"  Hero-Life,  A"  ("  Ein  Heldenleben,") 

423 

"He"roide  funebre,"  symphonic  poem 
by  Liszt,  263 

Hertz,  Henrick,  410 

"Hiawatha,"  163 

Hofmann,  Heinrich,  249-253 

Hofmeister  and  Peters,  music  pub- 
lisher, of  Leipsic,  18 


Holbein's    pictures    illustrating    the 

"Dance  of  Death,"  382 
"Holyrood,"  254-256 
"Hora  Novissima,"  346 
Horn,  Moritz,  393 

Huber, ,  13 

Hudson,  Dr.  Henry,  of  Dublin,  15 
Hueffer,  Francis,  136 
Hugo,  Victor,  271 
"Huguenots,  The,'    12 
"Hungaria,"  symphonic  poem 

Liszt,  263 

"Hunnenschlacht,"  273 
"Hymn  of  Praise,"  299,  312-314 
"Hymn  on  the  Nativity,"  Milton,  208 


"IcH  hatte  viel  Bekiimmerniss,*1  8 
"Ideale,  Die,"  symphonic  poem  by 

Liszt,  263 

"Im  Sommerzeit,"  symphony,  355 
Im  Walde  Symphony,  351-353,  357 
"Im  Winter,"  symphony,  355 
"In   Autumn"   ("Zur   Herbstzeit"), 

symphony,  355 

"In  Summer  Time"  ("Im  Sommer- 
zeit"), symphony,  355 
"In  Winter  "  ("  Im  Winter),"  sym- 
phony, 355 
Irish  Symphony,  416 
Irving,  Washington,  120,  124 
"Israel  in  Egypt,"  196,  199-203 
Italian  Symphony,  305-307 


J 


JENNENS,  Charles,  213 

Jewish   popularity  of  "Judas  Mao 

cabaeus,"  218 
Joachim,  145 
Jonson,  Ben,  337 
"Joshua,"  Handel,  220 
Jubel  Overture,  450 
"Jubilee  Cantata,"  450 
"Judas  Maccabseus,"  217-220 
"  Jiingste  Gericht,  Das,"  412 
Jupiter  Symphony,  328-332 


INDEX 


469 


"KAISER  March,"  Wagner,  12 

Karnthnerthor  Theatre,  Vienna,  68, 
387 

Kaulbach, ,  273 

Keats,  John,  336 

Kind,  Friedrich,  450 

"King  Rent's  Daughter,"  410 

"King  Stephen,  Hungary's  First  Ben- 
efactor," 1 6 

"King  Trojan,"  344 

"Kingdom,  The,"  160-162 

King's  Theatre,  London,  199,  228 

"Kleine  Sinfonie  in  F,"  61 

KocheTs  "Theme  Catalogue,"  for 
numbering  of  Mozart's  symphonies, 
323 

"Konig  Stephan,  Ungarn's  erster 
Wohlthater,"  16 

Kotzebue,  15 

Kuffner,  75 


LACHNER,  Franz,  387 

Laendliche  Hochzeit  Symphony,  182- 

184 

"Lalla  Rookh,"  Moore,  395 
Lamartine,  quoted,  263 
"Lamento    e    Trionfo,"    symphonic 

poem  by  Liszt,  269 

Lampadius, ,  296 

"Last  Judgment,  The,"  412 

"Last  Things,  The,"  412 

"Lauda  Sion,"  300 

Lawrence,  Sir  Henry,  109,  no 

"Lay  of  the  Bell,"  365-367 

Leeds  festivals,  15,  82,  147,  283,  426 

"Legend  of  the  Holy  Elizabeth,  The," 

258-262 

Lenau, ,  418 

Lenore  Symphony,  353-355,  357 
"Leonore,"  Beethoven,  39 
Leslie,  H.  D.,  254-256 
"Letzten  Dinge,  Die,"  412 
Lichnowski,  Prince,  26 
"Liebesmanl  der  Apostel,  Das,"  448 
"Light  of  Asia,  The,"  126-129 


"Light  of  Life,  The,"  154 
"Light  of  the  World,  The,"  429-433 
Lind-Goldschmidt,  Jenny,  395 
"Lines  on  a  Solemn  Musick,"  Milton, 

208 

Linley,  George,  223 
Lisle,  Leconte  de,  169 
Liszt,  Franz,  257-278,  374,  375 
"Little  Russian  Symphony,"  435 

Lloyd, ,  vocalist,  189 

Lobedanz,  Edmund,  172 
"Lobgesang,"  312-314 
Lobkowitz,  Prince,  32,  45 
London  International   Exhibition  of 

1871,  425 
London  Philharmonic  Society,  67,  68, 

384 
Longfellow,  Henry  W.,  122,  163,  257, 

426 

"Love  Feast  of  the  Apostles,"  448 
Lower  Rhine,   Festivals  of  the,  97, 

309 

Luther,  Martin,  n 
Lutheran  Church,  chorales  in  use  in, 

4 
Luther's  hymn,  "Ein*  Feste  Burg,** 

II,  12 

Lydely, ,  227 

M 

"MACBETH,"  419 
Macfarren,  279-282 
Mackenzie,  283-290 
"Magnificat  in  D,"  7 
Maini,  Ormondo,  443 
Manfred  Symphony,  441 
Manzoni,  Alessandro,  443 
"Manzoni  Requiem,"  443-445 
Mara,  Mme.,  214 
Mario,  in  "Stabat  Mater,"  368 

Man, ,  34,  55,  301,  309 

"Mary  Magdalen,"  291-293 
Massenet,  Jules,  291-293 
"May  Queen,  The,"  82 
"Mazeppa,"  Hugo,  271 
"Mazeppa,"  Liszt,  271-273 
"Meditations  Poc'tiques,"  Lamartine, 
263 


INDEX 


Meisel,  Carl,  16 

"Melusina,"  249-251 

Mendelssohn,  4,  12,  66,  176,  177,  252, 

279.  294-3'9>  3l6>  356>  36z>  389> 

398,  400,  416 
Men's  Singing  Festival,  Dresden,  448 
"Messiah,  The,"  3,  9,  196,  208,  212- 

217,  228 
Meyerbeer,  12 
"Midsummer    Night's    Dream,    A," 

66,  i?7,  *95>  3°°-3°3 
Military  Symphony,  244-246 
Milton,  John,  196,  208,  227,  335,  373 
"Minstrel's  Curse,  The,"  393 
"Miriam's  War  Song,"  387 
Monk,  Dr.  E.  G.,  279 
Moore,  Thomas,  395 
Morell,  Rev.  Thomas,  218 
Morlacchi,  450 
Morris,  William,  159 
"Mors  et  Vita,"  189-193 
"Mount  of  Olives,"  13-15 
"Mourning  Cantata,"  9 
Mozart,  Wolfgang,  18,  21,  22,  25,  63, 

46, 150, 196, 237, 242, 243, 320-332, 

418 

Musical  Society  of  London,  281 
Muth,  Franz  Alfred,  344 
"My  Heart  was  Full  of  Heaviness," 

8 

N 

NAPIER,  Hampdon,  451 

Napoleon  and  "Eroica"  symphony, 

33»34 

"Nativity,  The,"  335 
New  York  Symphony  Society,  88 
Newman,  Cardinal,  155 
Nibelungen  Trilogy,  Wagner's,  252 
Nicolai,  12 
Nicolini,  450 
Nietzsche,  Friedrich,  421 
Ninth  Symphony  (choral),  Beethoven, 

45,  66-75,  IOI»  "8 
Ninth  symphony,  Bruckner,  118 
Ninth  symphony,  Haydn,  242 
Ninth  symphony,  Schubert,  389-391 
"Noel"  (Christmas  oratorio),  380 


Norton,  Miss  Annie  B.,  122 
Norwich  festivals,  77,  285 
Nottebohm,  26 
Novello,  Mme.,  132,  299 

O 

OBERSDORF,  Count,  39 

Ocean  Symphony,  374-377 

"Ode  to  Joy,"  Schiller,  67 

Odeon,  Paris,  291 

"Odysseus,"  110-114 

"OEdipus  at  Colonos,"  295-298 

"CEdipus  Tyrannus,"  333-335 

Oliphant,  Thomas,  15 

"Omphale's  Spinning-wheel,"    381 

"On  Shore  and  Sea,"  425 

"On  the  Morning  of  Christ's  Na- 
tivity," Milton,  335 

Oratorio  Society,  New  York,  88 

"  Oratorium  tempore  nativitatis 
Christi"  ("The  Christmas  Ora- 
torio"), Bach,  i 

Orchestra,  the,  see  Appendix,  p.  453 

Organizations,  prominent  musical, 
see  Appendix,  p.  458 

"Orpheus,"  symphonic  poem  by 
Liszt,  263 

Osgood,  George  L.,  338 

Oulibicheff, ,  55 

Outram, ,  in  defence  of  Luck- 
now,  109 

"Overture,  Scherzo,  and  Finale," 
Schumann,  398,  400 

Oxenford,  John,  281 


PAINE,  333-343 

"Paradise  and  the  Peri,"  339-397 

"Paradise  Lost,"  Milton,  227 

"Paradise  Lost,"  Rubinstein,  373 

Paris  Societe  Nationale,  169 

Parker,  H.  W.,  344-347 

Parker,  Mrs.  Isabella  G.,  344,  346 

Parker,  J.  C.  D.,  348 

Parry,  349 

Pasdeloup,  M.,  383 

Passion  music,  Bach's,  3,  79 


INDEX 


"Passion,  The,"  Haydn,  226 
Pastoral  Symphony,  45,  51-56,  233 

35' 

Patey,  Mme.,  189 
Pathetique  Symphony,  439 
"Pearls  of  the    Faith,"    Sir    Edwin 

Arnold,  283 
Petit,  M.,  291 
Pfeiffer,  Carl,  414 
"Phaeton,"  381 
Phillipps,  Miss  Adelaide,  338 
"Phoebus,  Arise,"  Drummond,  337 
"Phoebus,  Arise,"  Paine,  337 
"Piccolomini,  The,"  Schiller,  362 
"Pilgrimage  of  the  Rose,  The,"  393 
Pohl,  Richard,  393,  394 
Portland,  Me.,  337 
"Praise  of  Music,"  1 8 
"Preis  der  Tonkunst,"  17 
"Preludes,  Les,"  263-266,  272 

Probst, ,  75 

"Prodigal  Son,  The,  "  428 
"Prometheus,"  Beethoven,  38 
"Prometheus,"  Liszt,  267-269 


'QuciN  Mab,"  66 


35'-357 
Randegger,  358-360 
Rasoumowsky,  Count,  45 
"Realm  of  Fancy,  The,"    336,  337 
"Recollections      of      Mendelssohn," 

Devrient,  297 
"Redemption  Hymn,"  348 
"Redemption,  The,"  185-189,  191 
Redouten-Saal,  Vienna,  389 
Reeves,  Sims,  132,  223 
Reformation  Symphony,  12,279,  3°7~ 

309 

"Requiem,  The,"  Berlioz,  84-86 
"Requiem,  The,"  Mozart,  320-323 
Rheinberger,  361-364 
Rhenish  Symphony,  402-404 
"Rhythm"  ("Hora  Novissima"),  346 
Richtcr.  Herr  Hans,  189 


Richter's,  Herr,  London  concerts.  416 

Ries,  Ferdinand,  67 

Ritter,  Alexander,  420 

"Robin  Hood,"  223 

Rochlitz,  Friedrich,  17 

Rodenberg,  Julius,  370 

Romantic  Symphony,  116 

Romberg,  365-367 

"Romeo  and  Juliet,"  86-88 

Roquette,  Otto,  258 

"Rose  of  Sharon,  The,"  285-289 

Rossini,  232,  368,  443 

"Rouet  d'Omphale,"  381 

Royal  Choral  Society  of  London,  289, 

346 
Royal  Theatre,  Lincoln's  Tnn  Fields, 

London,  196 
Rubinstein,  370-379 
Rudersdorff,  Mme.  Erminia,  358 
Rudolphsen,  J.  F.,  122,  338 
"Ruins  of  Athens,  The,"  15-17 
"Ruth,"  138-140 


SACRED  Harmonic  Society  of  London, 

'99.  3'5 

"Saint  Cecilia,"  77 
"Saint  John  Passion,"  Bach,  3 
"Saint  John  the  Baptist,"  279-281 
"Saint  Ludmila,"  147-149 
"Saint  Luke  Passion,"  Bach,  3 
"Saint  Mark  Passion,"  Bach,  3 
"Saint  Matthew  Passion,"  Bach,  2-7, 

81 

"Saint  Paul,"  309-313 
"Saint  Peter,"  337-341 
St.  Petersburg  Conservatory,  377 
Saint-Saens,  380-386 
Salomon, ,  61,  227,  235,  238, 

240,  242,  244,  246,  247 
"Samson,"  208-212 
"Samson  Agonistes,"  Milton,  208 
Sanders  Theatre,  Cambridge,  Mass., 

333 

Santley,  George,  189 
'Saul,"  204-208,  212,  220 
Savage,  Mr.,  208 
Scandinavian  Symphony,   140-142 


472 


INDEX 


Schiller,  67,  358,  362,  365 
Schiller,  sister  of,  67 
Schmetzer,  Herr,  307 
"Schon  Ellen,"  no 
Schubert,  64,  66,  173,  248,  326,  387- 
391 

Schubring, ,  librettist  of  "Saint 

Paul,"  309 
Schumann,  Robert,  44,  66,  97,  362 

389,  392-406,  424 
Schwind,  Moritz  von,  259 
Scotch  Symphony,  303-305,  416 
Scott,  Sir  Walter,  130 
"Seasons,  The,"  Haydn,  227,  231-234 
"Seasons,  The,"  Thomson,  231 
Second  symphony,  Beethoven,  26-32 
Second  symphony,  Brahms,  102 
Second  symphony,  Bruckner,  115 
Second  symphony,  Dvorak,  149 
Second  symphony,  Haydn,  238 
Second  symphony,  Paine,  341-343 
Second  symphony,  Rubinstein,  374- 

376 
Second  symphony,  Schumann,  400- 

402 

Second  symphony,  Tchaikovsky,  435 
"Seven  Words,  The,"  226 
Seventh  symphony,  Beethoven,  55-61, 

67 

Seventh  symphony,  Bruckner,  117 
Shakspeare,  295,  300,  341 
Sinding,  407 

"Sinfonia  Domestica,"  424 
Singer,  Otto,  122 
Sixth  symphony,  Beethoven,  45,  51- 

55 

Sixth  symphony,  Haydn,  240 
Sixth  symphony,  Tchaikovsky,  439 
Slavonic  music,  57 
"Sleeping  Beauty,  The,"  136-138 
Smart,  Sir  George,  15,  409-411 
"Senate    Pathe'tique,"  Beethoven,  26 
"Song  of  Triumph,"  97 
Sophocles,  adaptations  of  tragedies  of, 

295>  333 
"Sounds    of    Spring"    ("Friihlings- 

klange")  Symphony,  355-357 
Spanish  papers,  Washington  Irving's, 


"Spectre's  Bride,  The,"  143-145 

Spohr,  412-415 

"Spring  Fantasie,"  172 

Spring  Symphony,  Paine,  341-343 

"Spring  symphony,"  Schumann's,  398 

"Stabat  Mater,''  Dvorak,  145-147 

"Stabat  Mater,"  Rossini,  368 

Stanford,  416 

Stolz,  Teresa,  443 

"Story  of  Sayid,  The,"  283-285 

Strauss,  Richard,  418-424 

Sullivan,  425-434 

Surprise  Symphony,  240 

Siissmayer's  controversy  over  author- 
ships of  "  Requiem,"  320 

"Swan  Song"  (Mozart's  Symphony 
No.  543),  324 

Swieten,  Baron  van,  227,  231 

"Symphonic    Fantastique,"    Berlioz, 

9'-93>  95 

Symphony  in  D  Minor,  Franck,  168 
Symphony  in  D  Minor,  Sinding,  407 
Symphony  No.  i,  in  C  Major, 

Beethoven,  18-26 
Symphony    No.     I,    in    C    Minor, 

Brahms,  98-101 
Symphony  No.  i,  in  C  Minor,  Gade, 

176-179 

Symphony  No.  i,  in  F,  Goetz,  1 80 
Symphony  No.  I,  in  E  Flat,  Haydn, 

235-237 
Symphony  No.  i,  Rheinberger,  362- 

364 

Symphony  No.  I,  in  B  Flat,  Schu- 
mann, 398 

Symphony  No.  I,  in  E  Minor, 
Sullivan,  433 

Symphony  No.  I,  in  D  Minor, 
Volkmann,  446 

Symphony  No.  2,  in  D,  Beethoven, 
26-32 

Symphony  No.  2,  in  D  Major, 
Brahms,  102 

Symphony  No.  2,  in  C  Minor,  Bruck- 
ner, 115 

Symphony  No.  2,  in  D  Minor, 
Dvorak,  149 

Symphony  No.  2,  in  D  Major,  Haydn, 
238 


INDEX 


473 


Symphony  No.  2,  in  A,  Paine,  341- 

343 

Symphony  No.  2,  in  C  Major,  Rubin- 
stein, 374-376 

Symphony  No.  2,  in  C  Major,  Schu- 
mann, 400-402 

Symphony  No.  2,  in  C  minor,  Tchai- 
kovsky, 435 

Symphony  No.  3,  in  £  Flat,  Beethoven, 

3*-39»  46 
Symphony    No.    3,    in    F    Major, 

Brahms,  103-105 
Symphony  No.  3,  in  C  Minor,  Cowen, 

140-142 
Symphony  No.  3,  in  D  Major,  Dvorak, 

150-152 
Symphony    No.    3,    in    A    Minor, 

Mendelssohn,  303-305 
Symphony  No.  3,  in  F  Major,  Raff, 

w-isi 

Symphony  No.  3,  in  A  Minor,  Saint- 
Saens,  383 

Symphony  No.  3,  in  £  Flat,  Schumann 
402-404 

Symphony  No.  3,  in  F  Minor, 
Stanford,  416 

Symphony  No.  4,  in  B  Flat,  Bee- 
thoven, 39-44,  60 

Symphony  No.  4,  in  £  Minor, 
Brahms,  105 

Symphony  No.  4,  in  E  Flat,  Bruckner, 
116 

Symphony  No.  4,  in  B  Flat,  Gade,  178 

Symphony  No.  4,  in  A,  Mendelssohn, 
305-307 

Symphony  No.  4,  in  D  Minor, 
Rubinstein,  377-379 

Symphony  No.  4,  in  D  Minor,  Schu- 
mann, 404-406 

Symphony  No.  4,  in  F,  Spohr,  414 

Symphony  No.  4,  in  F  Minor, 
Tchaikovsky,  436 

Symphony  No.  5,  in  C  Minor,  Bee- 
thoven, 27,  39, 45-51,  55,  99 

Symphony  No.  5,  in  £  Minor, 
Dvorak,  152 

Symphony  No.  5,  Mendelssohn,  307- 
309 

Symphony  No.  5,  Raff,  353-355 


Symphony  No.  5,  in  C  Minor,  Saint- 

Saens,  384-386 
Symphony    No.    5,    in    £    Minor, 

Tchaikovsky,  438 
Symphony  No.  6,  in  F,  Beethoven,  45, 

S'-S5 
Symphony  No.  6,  in  G  Major,  Haydn, 

240 

Symphony  No.  6,  in  B  Minor, 
Tchaikovsky,  439 

Symphony  No.  7,  in  A  Major,  Bee- 
thoven, 55-61,  67 

Symphony  No.  7,  in  £  Major, 
Bruckner,  117 

Symphony  No.  8,  in  F,  Beethoven, 
61-67 

Symphony  No.  8,  in  A,  Raff,  355-357 

Symphony  No.  8,  in  B  Minor, 
Schubert,  388 

Symphony  No.  9,  in  D  Minor,  Bee- 
thoven, 45,  66-74,  101,  1 18 

Symphony  No.  9,  in  D  Minor 
Bruckner,  118 

Symphony  No.  9,  in  C  Minor,  Haydn, 
242 

Symphony  No.  9,  in  C  Major,  Schu- 
bert, 389-391 

Symphony  No.  1 1 ,  in  G  Major,  Haydn 
244-246 

Symphony  No.  12,  in  B  Flat,  Haydn, 
246-248 

Symphony  No.  543,  in  E  Flat,  Mozart, 
323-325 

Symphony  No.  550,  in  G  Minor, 
Mozart,  63,  326-328 

Symphony  No.  551,  in  C,  Mozart, 
3*8-33* 


TAMBURINI,  in  "Stabat  Mater,"  368 
"Taming  of  the  Shrew,  The,"  Goetz, 

1 80 

"Tasso,"  269 
Tchaikovsky,  435-442 
"Tempest,  The,"  341 

Thayer, ,  67 

Theater  an  der  Wien,  Vienna,  13,  26 


474 


INDEX 


Third  symphony,  Beethoven,  32-39, 

46 

Third  symphony,  Brahms,  103-105 
Third  symphony,  Cowen,  140-142, 
Third  symphony,  Dvorak,  150-152 
Third  symphony,  Mendelssohn,  303- 

3°S 

Third  symphony,  Raff,  351-353 
Third  symphony,  Saint-Saens,  383 
Third  symphony,  Schumann,  402-404 
Third  symphony,  Stanford,  416 
Thomas,  Theodore,  96,  117,  122,  185 
Thomas  (Theodore)  Orchestra,  3,116, 

118,  341 

Thomson,  James,  231 
"Thus  Spake  Zarathustra,"  421,  424 

Tieck, ,  296 

"Till  Eulenspiegel,"  420 

"Tod  und  Verklarung,"  420 

"Toggenburg,"  361 

"Tower  of  Babel,  The,"  370-373 

"Triumphlied,"  97 

Troutbeck,  Rev.  J.,  15 

Twelfth  symphony,  Haydn,  246-248 


U 
.  393.  394 


UHLAND, 

"Undine,"  435 


VARLZY,  Nelson,  338 
Verdi,  255,  443-445 
Viardot,  Mme.,  132,  291 
Vidal,  Mme.,  291 

Vienna,  13,  16-18,  26,  33,  39,45,  51, 
55,  68,  116,  118,  182,  227,  231, 

323>  3877389 
Vienna  Philharmonic  Society,  103 


"Vision  of  Life,  The,"  349 

Vitzthum,  Count,  450 

Volkmann,  446 

Von  Billow,  99,  106 

"Von   der   Wiege   bis  zum  Grabe," 

symphonic  poem  by  Liszt,  263 
'Voyage  of  Columbus,  The,"  124-126 
Vrchlicky,  Jaroslav,  147 


W 

WAGNER,  Richard,  12,  34,  56,  92, 117, 

154,  156,  160,  171,252,448 
Waldmann,  Maria,  443 
Wallenstein  Symphony,  362-364 
"Walpurgis  Night,  The,"  294,  299 
Weber,  450 
"Weihe  der  Tone,  Die,"  symphony, 

.  4H 

"Weihe  des  Hauses,  Die,"  16 
Weinlig,  Frau  Charlotte  Emilie,  448 
Weissenbach,  Dr.  Aloys,  17 
Wendt,  Amadeus,  451 
Wersing,  Herr,  309 
West,  Mrs.  J.  Houston,  338 
Wetherbee,  Mrs.,  338 
Whitney,  M.  D.,  122 
Wieck,  Clara  (Mme.  Schumann),  398 
Wolverhampton  Festival  of  1886,  130 
"Woman  of  Samaria,  The,"  79-82 
Worcester  festivals,  138,  154,  346, 428 


"ZARATHUSTRA,"  see  "Thus  Spake 

Zarathustra" 
Zerrahn,  Carl,  122 
Zingarelli,  450 
'Zur  Herbstzeit"  symphony,  355 


INDEX  OF  PRINCIPAL  NUMBERS 


[The  following  Index  contains  a  list  of  the  principal  numbers  in  the  various 
musical  compositions  described  in  this  volume  which  have  become  popular, 
whether  in  their  original  setting  or  by  frequent  performances  in  the  concert- 
room.] 

"All    glory,    praise,    and    majesty," 

chorus,  10 
"All  glory  to  the  Lamb  that  died," 

chorus,  412 

"All  hail !  Blessed  are  ye  women,"  187 
"All    human    foresight    wanders    in 

deepest  night,"  male  chorus  with 

solo  quartette,  268 
"All  my  soul  within  Me  shudders," 

recitative  and  aria,  14 
"All  that  has  life  and  breath  sing  to 

the  Lord,"  choral  motive,  313, 

314;  same,  chorus,  313 
"All  that  is  of  God's  creation,"  12 
"All  the  earth  doth  worship  Thee," 

alto  solo  with  chorus,  221 
"All  the  wealth  of  the  earth,"  chorus, 

165 

"All  things  transitory,"  chant,  277 
"All  thy  thunders  here  are  harmless," 

258 
"All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray," 

chorus,  215 

"All  ye  that  cried  unto  the  Lord,"  313 
"All  ye  who  enter  here,  leave  hope 

behind,"  277 
"Allein  Gott  in  der  Hob.'  sei  Ehr," 

hymn  tune,  310 
"Alleluia,"     quartette,     Saint-Saens' 

"Christmas  Oratorio,"  381 
"Alles  was  von  Gott  geboren,"  12 
"Allmacht'ger   Vater    der    du    hast 

gemacht  Himmel  und  Erd'  und 

Alles  was  darin,"  448 
"Although    my   house   be   not   with 

God,"  135 
Amen  Chorus,  Handel's  "Messiah," 

117 
"And  behold  then  the  heavens  opened 

wide,"  barytone  solo,  98 


'ABIDE  with  me,  fast  falls  the  even- 
tide," chorale,  81 

'Above  yon  sun,  the  stars  above," 
duet,  359 

'Accursed  light,  I  feel  thee  now,"  345 

'Achieved  is  the  glorious  work," 
chorus,  230 

'Acknowledge  me,  my  keeper," 
chorale,  4 

'Agnus  Dei,"  Berlioz's  "Requiem," 
84,86 

'Agnus  Dei,"  Gounod's  "Mors  et 
Vita,"  191 

'Agnus  Dei,"  Mozart's  "Requiem," 
320,  323 

'Agnus  Dei,"  Verdi's  "Manzoni 
Requiem,"  445 

*  Ah !  how  for  death  I  am  longing,"  226 

*Ah!  huntsman,  who  gave  thee  the 
diamond  ring?"  solo  quartette 
and  chorus,  361 

'Ah!  that  voice,"  168 

*Ah!  what  shall  we  then  be  plead- 
ing?" quartette  and  chorus,  190 

'Aim  your  lightnings,"  258 

'Air  is  mild  and  dear  and  grateful  to 
the  reapers,  The,"  tenor  recita- 
tive, 451 

'Air  such  pleasure  loath  to  lose.  The," 
chorus,  336 

'Alas!  my  daughter,  thou  hast 
brought  us  very  low,"  aria,  280 

'Alas !  my  Jesus  now  is  taken,"  aria, 6 

'Alas !  now  is  my  Jesus  gone,"  aria,  6 

''Alas!  our  land  is  desolate,"  chorus 
with  solos,  284 

"All  around  rose  the  sound  of  the 
strife  of  life,"  chorus,  373 


476     INDEX    PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS 


"And  believed  the  Lord,"  chorus,  202 

"And  ever,  against  eating  cares," 
aria,  198 

"And  forward  fly  they,"  choral 
number,  345 

"And  God  saw  everything  that  He 
had  made,"  recitative,  230 

"And  he  arose  and  came  to  his 
father,"  tenor  and  bass  duet,  429 

"And  He  lifted  up  His  hands," 
soprano  recitative,  340 

"And  He  shall  purify,"  chorus,  214 

"And  he  that  overcometh  shall  re- 
ceive a  crown  of  life,"  chorus, 

339 

"And  I  saw  the  new  heaven,"  bary- 
tone recitative,  192 

"And  I  will  exalt  Him,"  202 

"And  in  the  greatness  of  Thine  ex- 
cellency," chorus,  202 

"And  Israel  saw  that  great  work," 
chorus,  202 

"And  kings  sat  still  with  awful  eye," 

335 
"And   lo!    a   great  name   hath   He 

written,"  barytone  solo,  98 
"And    lo!     a    mighty    host,"    tenor 

recitative,  412 

"And  lo!   it  was  man,"  374 
"And  now  o'er  Syria's  rosy  plain," 

397 

"And  now  the  moon  her  orb  has  hid," 

solos  and  chorus,  131 
"And  on  the  champion's  brow  was 

found,"  131 
"And  the  children  of  Israel  sighed," 

double  chorus,  200 
"And  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be 

revealed,"  chorus,  214 
"And  the  good   man  with  cheerful 

eye,"  male  chorus,  366 
"And  the  Lord  hath  laid  on  Him  the 

iniquity  of  us  all,"  215 
"And  the  Lord   turned   and  looked 

upon  Peter  and  he  went  out  and 

wept  bitterly,"  159 
"And  their  eyes  mixed,  and  from  the 

look  sprang  love,"  soprano  and 

tenor  duet,  127 


"And  then  shall  your  light  break 
forth  as  the  light  of  the  morning," 

3'9 

"And  then  the  air  was  filled  with  a 
murmur  unwonted,"  187 

"And  there  was  light,"  228 

"And  there  were  shepherds,"  recita- 
tive, 380 

"And  though  the  shady  gloom," 
soprano  solo,  336 

"And  were  the  world  all  devils  o'er," 
chorale,  12 

"And  when  it  was  day,"  recitative, 
158 

"And  with  the  blast  of  Thy  nostrils," 
chorus,  203 

"And  yonder  a  snow-white  horse," 
chorus,  98 

"Angel  adored,"  trio,  90 

"Apostles  and  the  martyrs  wrapped 
in  mantles,  The,"  258 

Apostles'  Hymn,  189 

"Apostles  in  prayer,  The,"  instru- 
mental, 189 

"Arise,  let  us  go  to  our  own  people," 
chorus,  139 

"Arising  from  the  lap  of  star-clad 
night,"  recitative,  358 

"Arm,  arm,  ye  brave!"  aria,  218 

"Around  Thy  tomb  here  sit  we 
weeping,"  chorus,  7 

"Art  thou  greater  than  our  Father 
Jacob  ?"  solo,  80 

"Art  thou  not  it?"  348 

"Art  thou  not  it  which  hath  dried  the 
sea  ?"  alto  solo,  348 

"As  a  spirit  didst  Thou  pass,"  155 

"As  for  man,"  alto  aria,  340 

"As  I  sit  at  my  spinning-wheel, 
strange  dreams  come  to  me," 
ballad,  137 

"As  our  God  wills  it.  Up,  arouse 
thee!"  176 

"As  the  hart  pants  after  the  water- 
brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul  for 
Thee,  O  God,"  chorus,  299 

"As  when  the  dove,"  19^ 

"At  dawn  of  day  on  the  first  of  May," 
chorus,  137 


INDEX    PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS     477 


"At    eventide,    cool    hour    of   rest," 

recitative,  6 
"At  persecution  I  can  laugh,"  duet, 

007 
"At    Toggenburg    all    is    in    festive 

array,"  chorus,  361 
"Auge  schaut,  Das,"  solo  and  chorus, 

I? 

"Author  of  peace,"  aria,  207 
"Ave  color  vini  clari,"  drinking-song, 

124 

"Ave  Maris  Stella,"  vesper  hymn,  125 
"Awake,    O    arm    of    the    Lord!" 

chorus,  348 

"Awake  the  harp,"  chorus,  229 
"Awake  the  trumpet's  lofty  sound," 

chorus,  209 
"Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,"  chorus, 

339 
"Awake!      ye     workers,     awake!" 

recitative,  371 
"Ay,  sweet  indeed  is  love,"  085 


B 


'BAAL,    we    cry    to    thee,"    double 

chorus,  316 

'Be  merciful,"  semi-chorus,  156 
'Be      not      afraid,"      Mackenzie's 

"Bethlehem,"  289 
'Be     not     afraid,"     Mendelssohn's 

"Elijah,"  317 

'Be  not  extreme,"  soprano  solo,  154 
'Be  of  good  comfort,"  139 
''Be  propitious,  bounteous  Heaven," 

trio  and  chorus,  232 
'Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,"  tenor 

aria,  312 
''Be  welcome,  stranger,  to  Phocea's 

land,"  chorus,  113 

''Behold,  a  virgin  shall  conceive,"  214 
"Behold  along  the  dewy  grass,"  aria, 

*33 
"Behold   and   see  if  there  be  any 

sorrow,"  tenor  aria,  216 
"  Behold !  are  not  all  these  who  speak 

Galileans?'"  340 
"Behold!  God  the  Lord  passed  by," 

chorus,  318 


"Behold!     He    soon    shall    come," 

tenor  recitative,  413 
"Behold  how  he  loved  him!"  chorus, 

432 

"Behold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings,"  3 
"Behold!  I  will  send  my  messenger," 

chorus,  279 

"Behold  my  servant,"  chorus,  319 
"Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,"  chorus, 

215 
"Belle  pe'cheresse  oublie,  La,"  chorus, 

292 
"Beloved,  let  us  love  one  another," 

chorus,  340 

"Below  the  highest  sphere  four  re- 
gents sit,"  chorus,  126 
"Benedictus,"  Mozart's  "Requiem," 

320,  322 
"Beside      the      cross      remaining," 

quartette,  186 
"Bethink  ye,  O  my  ministers,"  bass 

recitative,  127 
"Bleak  and  kindless  morning  had 

broke  on  Althenay,  A,"  chorus, 

282 

"Bless  ye  the  Lord,"  chorus,  135 
"Blessed  are  the  faithful  who  in  the 

Lord  are  sleeping,"  97 
"Blessed  are  the  men  who  fear  Him," 

chorus,  316 

"Blessed  are  the  mourners,"  166 
"Blessed    are    the    poor    in    spirit," 

189 
"Blessed  are  they,"  Franck's  "The 

Beatitudes,"  168 
"Blessed   are   they,"   barytone   solo, 

Sullivan's   "The    Light   of    the 

World,"  431 
"Blessed  are  they  that  go  mourning," 

chorus,  96 

"Blessed  are  they  which  are  perse- 
cuted," quartette,  281 
"Blessed  art  thou  among  women," 

recitative,  430 
"Blessed  be,"  165 
"Blessed  be  the  kingdom,"  chorus, 

432 
"Blessed  be  the  Lord,"  chorus,  133, 

'35 


478     INDEX    PRINCIPAL    NUMBERS 


"Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel," 

80,  82 

"Blessed,  ever  blessed,"  soprano  and 
barytone  duet,  380 

"Blessed  shall  thou  be,"  chorus,  139 

"Blessing  and  honor,"  chorus,  217 

"Blessing,  honor,  glory,  and  power," 
tenor  solo  and  chorus,  411 

"Blessing  on  this  noble  house  and  all 
who  in  it  dwell,  A,"  old  English 
carol,  281 

"Blest  are  the  departed,"  quartette 
and  chorus,  413 

"Blossoms  born  of  teeming  spring- 
time," chorus,  147 

"Blow  ye  the  trumpet,"  bass  recita- 
tive, 132 

"Bone  pastor,"  hymn,  30x5 

"Bounds  we  have  reached  of  the 
deep  flowing  ocean,  The,"  chorus, 

112 

"Break  forth,  O  beauteous,  heavenly 

light,"  chorale,  3 
"Break  his  bands  of  sleep  asunder," 

chorus,  196 
"Breaking   day   and    dusky   night," 

chant,  147 
"Bring  the  laurels,"  chorus  and  solo, 

212 

"But  as  for  His  people,  He  led  them 

forth  like  sheep,"  chorus,  201 
"But  crimson  now  her  rivers  ran," 

chorus,  396 
"But  He  her  fears  to  cease,"  soprano 

solo,  335 
"But,   Lord,   do   Thou    bring   them 

evermore,"  soprano  solo,  191 
"But  of  the  spotless  Lamb,"  185 
"But  Oh,  sad  Virgin,  that  thy  power 

might  raise!"  aria,  198 
"But  our  God  abideth  in  heaven," 

chorus,  312 

"But  peaceful  was  the  night,"  336 
"But     sooner     Jordan's     stream,     I 

swear,"  206 
"But  the  Lord  is  mindful  of  his  own," 

alto  arioso,  310,  313 
"But  the  waters   overwhelmed  their 

enemies,"  chorus,  202 


"But  Thou  didst  not  leave  His  soul  in 

hell,"  soprano  aria,  216 
"But  when  the  Son  of  Man,"  barytone 

recitative,  192 
"But  who  is  He,  the  King  of  Glory  ?" 

chorus,  1 88 
"But  who  may  abide  the  day  of  His 

coming?"  bass  aria,  214 
"By  faith   salvation   comes,  and  by 

peace,  consolation,"  quartette,  1 89 
"By    Thee    with    bliss,"    duet    and 

chorus,  230 


"CALLA  stagion  novella,"   canzonet, 

255 
"Calmly    flow    the    equal     hours," 

chorus,  359 

"Campbells  are  coming,  The,"   no 
"Can  He  now  save  himself?"  male 

chorus,  1 86 
"Capricious   man,   in   humor   lost," 

aria,  206 

"Caro  cibus,"  soprano  solo,  300 
"Cast  thy  burden  upon  the  Lord," 

chorale,  316 

"Cause  a  palace  grand  to  rise,"  175 
"Cease  not,  I  pray  you,"  recitative 

and   air    for  tenor  with  chorale 

responses,  77 
"Celestial   Jerusalem,"  instrumental, 

'93 
"Certain    man    had    two    sons,    A," 

tenor  recitative  and  solo,  428 
"C'est     Theure    ou     conduisant    de 

longues  caravanes,"  291 
"  Christ  est  vivant,  ressusciteV'  hymn, 

293 
"Christ  is  risen  again,"  male  chorus, 

1 88 
"Christ    is    risen    from    the    dead," 

Easter  hymn,  89 
Christmas  hymn,  Luther's,  2 
"Christmas   tale,  A,"  contralto  solo 

and  chorus,  281 
"Church  is  built  upon  the  foundation 

of    the   Apostles   and   prophets, 

The,"  chorus,  339 


INDEX    PRINCIPAL    NUMBERS 


479 


Church  Song,  262 

"City  of  high  renown,"  chorus,  347 

"Clear   resounded   the   trumpets    of 

heaven,"  chorus,  374 
"Come  and  trip  it  as  you  go,"  aria,  197 
"Come,  Beloved,  into  the  garden  of 

nuts,"  duet,  186 
"Come,  but  keep  thy  wonted  state," 

aria,  197 
"Come,   come,   thou   goddess   fair," 

aria,  197 
"Come,   comrades,   come,"   chorus, 

1x5 

"Come,  gentle  spring,  ethereal  mild- 
ness, come,"  chorus,  232 
"Come,    great    Odysseus,    hero    of 

might,"  chorus,  113 
"Come    hither,    ye    whom    I    have 

taught,"  recitative,  149 
"Come,  let  us  garlands  bring,"  tenor 

air,  147 
"Come,  let  us  go  forth  into  the  field," 

chorus,  286 

"Come,  O  Israel,"  chorus,  81 
"  Come  on !  let  us  down  to  earth  now 

hasten,"  371 

"Come,  pensive  nun,"  recitative,  197 
"Come  with   torches   brightly  flash- 
ing," chorus,  295 
"Come,  ye  children,"  tenor  recitative 

and  aria,  429 
"Come,    ye     daughters,    weep     for 

anguish,"  chorus,  5 
"Cometh  earth's  latest  hour,"  chorus, 

346 
"Comfort  ye  my  people,"  recitative, 

214 
"Confutatis,"     bass     solo,     Verdi's 

"Manzoni  Requiem,"  444 
"Confutatis     maledictis,"     Mozart's 

"Requiem,"  322 

"Consume  them  all,"  bass  solo,  310 
"Crane,  The,"  Russian  song,  436 
"Crucify  him,"  159 
Crusaders'  March,  262 
"Crui  fidelis,   inter  omnes,"  hymn, 

274 

"Cujus  animam,"  tenor  solo,  368 
"Cujus  clavis  lingua  Petri,"  427 


"DANCE  of  peasants,"  88 

"Dark  brooded  fear  over  the  land," 

tenor  solo,  165 
"Darkness,  hill  and  plain  forsaking," 

cradle-song,  290 

"Darkness   o'er  the  earth  is  brood- 
ing," tenor  solo,  289 
"Daughter  of  mighty  Jove,  awake!" 

chorus,  1 6 

"Daughter  of  Zion,  The,"  chorus,  4 
"Daughters  of  Jerusalem,"  solo,  433 
"Dawn  of  an  autumn  day  did  creep, 

The,"  tenor  solo,  130 
"Day  is  approaching,  The,"  314 
"Day  of  weeping,  day  of  mourning," 

191 
"Day  of  wrath  is  near,  The,"  bass 

recitative,  413 
Dead    March    ("Saul"),    207,   212, 

220 
"Death  and  destruction  fall  upon  his 

head,"  duet,  359 

"Decorata  novo  flore,"  chorale,  262 
"Deep  within  my  heart  was  sorrowing 

and  great  affliction,"  chorus,  8 
"Defunctos  ploro!"  258 
"Deign,  great  Apollo,"  bass  aria,  17 
"Denn  ihm  ist  alle  Herrlichkeit  von 

Ewigkeit  zu  Ewigkeit,"  chorale, 

449 

"Deposuit,  potentes  de  sede,"  aria,  8 
"Depths  have  covered  them,  The," 

chorus,  202 
''Der  den  Bund  im  Stunne  festge- 

halten,"  recitative  and  quartette, 

'7 
"Deserted  stand  God's  sacred  altars 

in  the  old  forest,"  alto  solo,  268 
"Destroyed  is  Babylon,"  chorus,  413 
"Dies    Irar,"    Berlioz's    "Requiem," 

84-86 
"Dies   Irar,"   Berlioz's   "Symphonic 

Fantastique,"  93 
"Dies    Irae,"    Gounod's    "Mors    et 

Vita,"  190,  191 
"Dies   Irae,"    Mozart's   "Requiem," 

320-322 


480     INDEX    PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS 


"Dies  Irae,"  Verdi's  "Manzoni  Re- 
quiem," 444,  445 

"Dispelled  by  jealous  rage  is  hope's 
fond  dream,"  recitative,  358 

"Divinest  Melancholy,"  aria,  197 

"Domine  Jesu,"  Verdi's  "Manzoni 
Requiem,"  444 

"Domine  Jesu  Christe,"  Mozart's 
"Requiem,"  320,  322 

"Dona  eis  requiem,"  Mozart's  "Re- 
quiem," 322,  323 

"Doubt  not  thy  Father's  care," 
chorus  for  sopranos  and  altos,  1 55 

"Doubtless  Thou  art  our  Father," 
quintet,  431 

"Down  through  the  deep,"  chorus,  410 

"Draw  the  thread  and  weave  the 
woof,"  136 

"Dread  on  dread!"  chorus,  112 

"Dread  power,  that  fillest  heaven's 
high  throne,"  chorus,  298 

"Drei  Lieder,  Die,"  394 

"Dresden  Amen,"  308 


"EAGLES  were  not  so  swift  as  they," 

chorus,  208 

"Earth  is  dark,  The,"  chorus,  165 
"Earth     swallowed     them,     The," 

chorus,  203 

"Earthly  knowledge,"  chorus,  167 
"E'en  if  earth  should  wholly  fail  me," 

duet,  256 

"Egypt  was  glad,"  chorus,  201 
"Eia     Mater,"     Dvorak's     "Stabat 

Mater,"  146 
"Eia     Mater,"     Rossini's     "Stabat 

Mater,"  368 
"Eighteen  long  years  of  labor,  doubt, 

and  scorn,"  bass  aria,  125 
"Ein'  feste    Burg   ist   unser   Gott," 

Luther's  hymn,  n,  308,  309 
Elfenmarsch,  302 
"Eli,  Eli,  lama  sabachthani,"  159 
"Elizabeth,  thou  holy  one,"  soprano 

solo,  262 
"Enemy  said,  'I  will  pursue,'  The," 

bravura  song,  203 


"Enough   of   spring   and    pleasure," 

394 

"Enter,  thrice-happy!    enter,   thrice- 
desired,"  chorus,  127 
"  Entsagung,"  394 
"Envy,  eldest-born  of  hell!"  chorus, 

206 
"Ere  the  day  cool  and  the  shadows 

flee  away,"  288 
"Ere  the  wine-cup  is  dry,"  chorus, 

409 
"Es  treten  hervor  die  Scharen  der 

Frauen,"  chorus  and  fugue,  17 
"Esurientes  implevit  bonis,"  aria,  8 
"Et  exultavit  Spiritus  meus:   in  Deo 

salutari  meo,"  aria,  7 
"Et  misericordia,"  duet,  7 
"Europa  steht,"  chorus,  17 
"Evening  song,  The,"  quartette,  123 
"Ever  blessed  are  they,"  chorus  for 

sopranos  and  tenors,  167 
"Ever  let  the  fancy  roam,"  chorus, 

336 

"Every  valley  shall  be  exalted,"  tenor 

aria,  214 

"Evil  cannot  stay,"  quintet,  1 68 
"Extito  lentos!"  258 


"FAC   me  vere   tecum   flere,"   tenor 

solo  and  chorus,  146 
"Fac  ut  ardeat  cor  meum,"  bass  solo 

and  chorus,  146 
"Fac  ut  portem,"  Dvorak's  "Stabat 

Mater,"  146 
"Fac  ut  portem,"  Rossini's  "Stabat 

Mater,"  368 
"Faint    and    worn,    Thou    yet    hast 

sought  us,"  duet  and  chorus,  190 
"Fair  king,  who  all  preserves,"  tenor 

solo,  337 

Fairy  March,  302 
"Faithful,  The,"  chorus,  4 
"Fal,  lal,  la,"  minuet  and  vocal  trio, 

255,  256 

"Fallen  is  the  foe,"  chorus,  219 
"Far  be  it  from  thy  path,"  chorus, 

312 


INDEX    PRINCIPAL    NUMBERS     481 


"Far  from  all  resorts  of  mirth,"  aria, 

198 
"Father  of  Heaven,  from  Thy  eternal 

throne,"  220 
"Father,    reigning    in    Thy    glory," 

chorus,  451 
"Father,  whose  blessing  we  entreat," 

contralto  aria,  77 
"Faultless,  yet  hated,"  duet,  16 
"Fear  not,"  solo,  139 
"Facit  potentiam,"  chorus,  8 
"Feed  the  flock  of  God,"  quartette, 

340 
"Fell  rage  and  black  despair,"  aria, 

105 
"Fierce  raged  the  billows,"  chorus, 

373 
"Fire  descends  from  heaven,  The," 

chorus,  316 

"Firm  as  the  solid  earth,"  366 
"Firm  in  faith,"  mezzo-soprano  aria, 

380 
"First  of  his  prophet's  warriors  he," 

085 
"Fired    in    His    everlasting    seat," 

double  chorus,  21 1 
"Flocks   shall    leave    the   mountain, 

The,"  trio,  195 
"Floods  stood  upright  as  an  heap,  and 

the  depths  were  congealed,  The," 

103 

"Flow,  ye  tears,  since  days  are  hate- 
ful," 112 

"For  ages  on  your  heads  shall  con- 
tempt be  outpoured,"  188 
"For  as  in  Adam  all  die,"  quartette 

with  choral  response,  217 
"For  blood  must  holy  be,"  396 
"For  everything  there  is  a  season," 

drinking-chorus,  with  solos,   133 
"For  He  shall  give  His  angels  charge 

over  thee,"  double  quartette,  3 1 5 
"For  He  the  Lord  our  God,"  chorale, 

3'5 

"  For  I  had  gone  with  the  multitude ;  I 
went  with  them  to  the  house  of 
God,"  chorus,  299 

"For  my  soul  thirsteth  for  God," 
soprano  solo,  299 


"For  one  kind  glance  from  out  those 
eyes  divine,"  358 

"For  so  hath  the  Lord  Himself  com- 
manded," tenor  and  bass  duet,  3 1 2 

"For  the  flame  of  love  is  as  fire,"  289 

"For  the  flood  is  life-giving,"  chorus, 
230,  251 

"For  the  mountains  shall  depart," 
aria,  319 

"For  the  promise  is  to  you,"  340 

"For  this  my  son  was  dead,"  bass 
aria,  429 

"  For  unto  us  a  child  is  born,"  chorus, 

"5 
"For  us  the  Christ  is  made  a  victim 

availing,"  chorale,  187 
"For  us  to  earth  He  coincth  poor," 

chorale,  2 
"For  with  a  burst  of  joyous  clangor," 

soprano  solo,  365 
"For  with  Thee  is  the  Well  of  Life," 

chorus,  80 
"  For  Zion  lamentation  make,"  chorus, 

Ml 

"Forever  blessed  be  His  power,"  230 
"Forget  with  the  dwellers  on  earth  all 

earthly  woe,"  251 
"Forsake  me  not  in  this  dread  hour," 

soprano  and  tenor  duet,  413 
"Forth  the  royal  banners  go,"  186 
"  Freedom !    afar  from  land  upon  the 

open  sea,"  chorus,  267 
"Friar's  admonition,  The,"  Wallen- 

stein  symphony,  363 
"Frithjof's  departure  from  the  North- 
land," 109 

"Frithjof's  return,"  instrumental  in- 
troduction, 108 
"Frithjof's  revenge,"  108 
"From  love  unbounded,"  aria,  6 
"From    mighty    kings   he   took    the 

spoil,"  219 

"From  our  home,"  chorus,  77 
"From    out    the   fold    the  shepherd 

drives,"  aria,  232 
"From  the  gold  of  the  flaxen  reel," 

contralto  aria,  136 
"From    the    mists    of    the    valleyi," 

hunting-song,  260 


482     INDEX    PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS 


"From  the  morning  watch  till  the 
evening,"  double  chorus,  190 

"From  Thy  love  as  a  father,"  soprano 
obligato  solo,  1 88 

"Full  moon  is  beaming,  The,"  recita- 
tive and  aria,  409 

"Funera  plango!"  258 

Funeral  March,  96 


"GALATEA,  dry  thy  tears,  Acis  now  a 

god  appears,"  195 
"Gayly  thro'  forest,"  chorus,  148 
"Gegriisst     seid,     Bruder,     in     des 

Herren  Namen,"  chorus,  448 
"Gens    duce    splendida,"    contralto 

solo,  347 
"Gentle    knight,    a    while    delay," 

soprano  solo  and  female  chorus, 

131 
"Gently  beaming,  softly  streaming," 

chorus,  373 

"Gently,  lo !  the  warrior  kneels,"  131 
"Gesang  und  Krieg,"  394 
"Gift  of  demons,  raging  fire,"  chorus, 

359 
"Gird  on  thy  sword,  thou  man  of 

might,"  chorus,  208 
"Give  ear,  ye  people,  one  is  our  God," 

solo,  148 

"Give  me  thy  son,"  315 
"Give  the  vengeance  due  to  the  valiant 

crew,"  recitative,  196 
"Gloria,"  chorus,  8 
"Glorious  company  of  the  Apostles 

praise  Thee,  The,"  quartette  and 

chorus,  222 
"Glory  now  unto  God  in  the  highest," 

chorus,  380 
"Glory  to   God,"   chorus,  Handel's 

"Messiah,"  215 
"Glory  to  God,"  chorus,  Mackenzie's 

"Bethlehem,"  289 
"Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,"  3 
"Glory  to  Him,"  chorus,  157 
"Go,  baffled  coward,  go,"  duet,  21 1 
"Go     forth     upon     thy     journey," 

chorus,  156 


"Go  to  Helas'  dark  abode,"  108 
"Go  ye  and  teach,"  tenor  arioso,  340 
"God  and  King  of  Jacob's  nation," 

martial  hymn,  134 
"God  is  a  spirit,"  quartette,  81 
"God    is    our   hope   and    strength," 

quartette,  77 
"God  of  all,"  tenor  solo  and  chorus, 

380 

"God  of  light,"  chorus,  232 
"God  save  the  King!"  chorus,  287, 

288 

"God,  we  praise  Thee,"  chorale,  415 
"Gods  are  ever  near,  The,"  chorus, 

147 
"Gods,  from  us  their  faces  turning, 

The,"  chorus,  167 
"God's  own  time  is  the  best,  ever  best 

of  all,"  chorus,  9 
"  Gods  themselves  as  mortals,  The," 

chorus,  312 

"Golden  Jerusalem,"  tenor  solo,  347 
"Golden  visions  wave  and  hover,"  123 
"Good  news  to  you,"  290 
"Good-night,  the  lindens  whisper," 

solo,  quartette,  and  chorus,  345 
"Graceful  consort,"  duet,  231 
"Gracious  Father  hears  us  when  we 

call,  The,"  recitative  and  aria,  451 
"Grave  cannot  praise  Thee,  The," 

chorus,  432 
Grave  Song,  393 
"Great  and  marvellous  are  Thy 

works,"  chorus,  341 
"Great  and  wonderful  are  all  Thy 

works,"  chorus,  413 
"Great  Dagon  has  subdued  our  foe," 

chorus,  211 
"Great    God!     from    early    youth," 

quartette,  167 
"Grief  and  pain,"  aria,  5 
"Grief  over  all  creatures,"  chorus,  166 
"Guardian   angels  sweet   and  fair," 

chorale,  359 

H 

"HA!     Thou    that    didst    declare," 
chorus,  1 86 


INDEX   PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS    483 


"Hail,  bounteous  Lord!  Almighty, 
hail!"  231 

"Hail  Judaea,  happy  land,"  duet,  219 

"Hail,  O  glorious  sun!"  trio  and 
chorus,  232 

"Hail,  O  Prometheus,  hail!"  chorus, 
267 

"Hail,  our  king,"  chorus,  17 

"Hail  thee,  daughter  from  Elysium, 
thine  enchantments  bind  to- 
gether," 74 

"Hail  thee,  Joy,  from  Heaven  descend- 
ing, daughter  from  Elysium!" 
quartette,  74 

"Hail  to  Mahmoud!"  chorus,  396 

"Hail  to  the  pleasure-giver!"  chorus, 
268 

"Hail  to  thee,  child  of  the  earth!" 
chorus,  410 

"Hail  to  thee,  O  man!"  374 

Hailstone  Chorus,  201 

"Hallelujah,"  Handel's  "Judas  Mac- 
cabaeus,"  220 

"Hallelujah,"  Rubinstein's  "Paradise 
Lost,"  374 

Hallelujah  Chorus,  Handel's  "Mes- 
siah," 216 

"Hallelujah,  God's  almighty  Son," 
chorus,  14 

"Hand  of  fire  was  on  the  wall,  A," 
256 

"Hanover,"  hymn  tune,  280 

"Happy  and  blest  are  they,"  chorus, 
310 

"Happy  are  we,  with  such  a  Saviour," 
soprano  solo  and  chorus,  190 

"Happy  nation,  still  receiving,"  tenor 
recitative  and  aria,  451 

"Happy  we,"  duet,  195 

"Hark!  hark!  Who  has  come  to 
watch  ?"  chorus,  251 

"Hark!     how    the    nightingale    yet 

«ngs,"  345 
"Hark!   the  deep  tremendous  voice," 

chorus,  233 
"Hark!   the  morn  awakes  the  horn," 

hunting-chorus,  358 
"Hark!     the    mountains    resound," 

chorus,  233 


"Hark!  the  storm  gathers  from  afar," 
113 

"Hark  to  me!  Queen,  or  heaven- 
dwelling  Goddess,"  113 

"Hark!  what  can  be  the  noise?" 
chorus,  147 

"Has!    Irimiru   Karabras,"   chorus, 

91 
"Haste  thee,  nymph,  and  bring  with 

thee,"  197 
"Haste,  ye  shepherds,  haste  to  meet 

Him,"  tenor  aria,  3 
"Hasten!    Hasten!    O  ye  spirits!" 

*57 
"He  gave  them  hailstones  for  rain," 

201 
"He  has  said  to  all  the  unhappy," 

quartette,  189 

"He  hath  done  only  good  to  all,"  6 
"He  is  my  God,"  202 
"He  led  them  through  the  deep,"  201 
"He  maketh  the  sun  to  rise,"  chorus, 

43» 

"He  sang  Darius  great  and  good," 

chorus,  196 
"He    saw    a-    greater    sun    appear," 

chorus,  336 
"He  sent  a  thick  darkness  over  all  the 

land,"  chorus,  201 
"He  shall  feed  His  flock,"  aria,  215 
"He  smote  all  the  first-born  of  Egypt," 

chorus,  201 
"He  that  shall  endure  to  the  end," 

chorus,  318 
"He  trusted  in  God,"  choral  fugue, 

215 

"He  was  despised,"  alto  aria,  215 
"He  watching  over  Israel,"  chorus, 

318 
"He  who  death  overcame,"  chorus, 

1 88 

"Hear  and  answer,"  316 
"Hear,  Jacob's  God,"  six-part  chorus, 

211 

"Hear  my  prayer,  O  Lord,"  134 
"Hear  our  cry,  O  Baal !"  chorus,  316 
"Hear  us,  Justice  Eternal,"  chorus, 

1 68 
"Hear  us,  O  Lord!"  chorus,  218 


484     INDEX    PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS 


"Hear  us,  our  God,"  chorus,  212 
''Hear  ye,  Israel,"  soprano  solo,  317 
''Heathen  furiously  rage,  The,"  310 
"Heavenly  tones,  why  seek  me  in  the 

dust?"  89 
''Heavens  are  telling,  The,"  chorus, 

229 
''Heil     dir     im     Siegerkranz,"     old 

German  national  hymn,  98 
"Heil  und  Gluck,"  17 
"Help,  Lord!"  chorus,  315 
"Help,  my  comrades!    see  a  legion," 

295 

'Hence  with  evil  omen,  256 
"Her  dotage  now  I  do  begin  to  pity," 

302 
'Here  am  I  too  in  the  pious  band," 

427 

'Here  at  your  bidding,"  trio,  126 
'Here  life  is  quickly  gone,"  quartette, 

346 
'Here    'neath    the    roof    of    want," 

chorus,  262 
'Here,  O  Hermes,  in  midst  of  the 

island,"  chorus,  112 
'Here  on  earth  we  have  no  continuing 

place,  we  seek  now  a  heavenly 

one,"  barytone  solo  and  chorus,  97 
'Hie  breve  vivitur,"  quartette,  346 
'Hide  me  from   day's  garish  eye," 

canzonet,  198 

'Hier  kommt  er  ja  selbst,"  296 
'Him   hath    God    exalted,"   chorus, 

433 
'Him  we  worship  and  praise  this  day," 

duet,  260 
'His  salvation  is  nigh  them  that  fear 

Him,"  tenor  solo,  82 
'His  yoke  is  easy,"  chorus,  215 
'Hohe  Liebe,"  394 
'Hold  not  Thy  peace  and  be  not  still, 

O  God!"   chorus,  134 
'Holy  and  grand  and  free  is  the  gift 

of  heaven,"  double  chorus,  267 
'Holy,  holy,  Lord  God  of  Hosts," 

chorus,  412 

'Holy  love,  sweet  pardon,"  167 
'Holy  One  of  Israel  be  thy  guide, 

The,"  211 


"Honor  and  arms  scorn  such  a  foe," 

bass  solo,  211 

"Honor  the  Lord,"  bass  aria,  428 
"Hora  novissima,"  chorus,  346 
"Horror!   horror!"  chorus,  372 
"Horse  is  neighing,  O  page  of  mine, 

The,"  solo,  344 
"Hosanna     in     Excelsis,"     Berlioz's 

"Requiem,"  86 
"Hosanna    in    Excelsis,"    Gounod's 

"Mors  et  Vita,"  193 
"Hosanna  in  the  highest,"  chorus,  134 
"Hosanna    to    the    Son    of    David," 

three-part  chorus,  432 
"Hostias,"  Mozart's  "Requiem,"  322 
"Hostias  et  Preces,"  84,  86 
"Hour  is  come,  The,"  chorus,  433 
"How  beautiful  are  the  feet,"  aria, 

216 
"How  blessed  then  are  they  who  still 

on  God  are  calling,"  duet,  12 
"How  blest   seem  to  me,  vanished 

child  of  air!"  solo,  395 
"How    bravely    o'er    the    flood    so 

bright,"  barytone  recitative  and 

aria,  108 
"How   brightly   shines   the   morning 

star,"  chorale,  10 

"How  excellent  is  Thy  loving  kind- 
ness," 139 
"How  excellent  Thy  name,  O  Lord !" 

chorus,  204 
"How  fearful  are  the  terrors  Nature 

brings!"  451 
"How  lovely  are  the  messengers  that 

preach  us  the  gospel  of  peace!" 

chorus,  311 
"How  lovely  is  Thy  dwelling-place, 

O  Lord  of  Hosts,"  chorus,  97 
"How  lovely  shines  the  morning  star !" 

chorale,  338 
"How   many   hired   servants   of   my 

father's,"  tenor  aria,  429 
"How  mighty  is  Thy  name,"  chorale 

for  full  chorus,  133 
"How,  mortal  canst  thou  reach  His 

presence?"  371 
"How  shall  I  fitly  meet  Thee  and  give 

Thee  welcome  due  ?"  chorale,  2 


INDEX   PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS    485 


"How   shall   we   by   ourselves   have 

strength  to  roll  away  the  stone  ?" 

trio,  187 
"How  sweet  and  cool  is  yet  the  night !" 

solo,  344 
"How  the  face  of  heaven   is   o'er- 

shadowed!"  372 
"How     wildly    beats     my    heart!" 

recitative,  147 
"How    willing    my    paternal    love," 

aria,  212 
"Huic  ergo  parce  Deus,"  Mozart's 

"Requiem,"  322 
Hungarian  Air,  262 
"Hurl  him  back!"  410 
"Hush,  ye   pretty  warbling   choir!" 

'95 


*I  AM  Alpha  and  Omega,"  chorus, 

193 

'I  am  going,  O  my  people,"  163 
'I  am  going,  O  Nokomis,"  barytone 

solo,  163 

'I  am  the  good  shepherd,"  solo,  155 
'I  am  the  Resurrection  and  the  Life," 

190 

"I  can  no  more,"  156 
'I  cannot  sleep,"  426 
'I  cannot  sleep,  my  fervid  brain  calls 

up  the  vanished  past  again,"  123 
'I  dip  my  white  breast  in  the  soft- 
flowing  tide,"  175 

'I  gather  in  each  soul  immortal,"  167 
'I  have  cast  all  my  care  on  God," 

hymn,  10 

"I,  I  am  He  that  comforteth,"  317 
'I  indeed  baptize  you  with  water," 

aria,  279 
'I  know  a  blushing  rosebud,"  duet, 

393 
'I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth," 

117 
'I  know  the  wealth  hidden  in  every 

urn,"  396 
'I    long    indeed    to    see   the    light," 

quartette  and  chorus,  148 
'I  long  with  childlike  longing,"  147 


"I  love  the  rose,"  411 

"I  melt,  I  rage,  I  burn,"  recitative, 

"95 

"I  praise  Thee,  O  Lord,  my  God," 
bass  solo  with  chorus,  311 

"I  rejoice  in  my  youth,"  280 

"I  see  assembled  round  the  throne," 
solo,  262 

"I  waited  for  the  Lord,"  soprano  and 
alto  duet  with  chorus,  313 

''I  went  to  sleep,  and  now  I  am 
refreshed,"  solo,  156 

"I  will  call  upon  the  Lord,"  chorus, 
82 

"I  will  depart,"  tenor  solo,  128 

'I  will  extol  Thee,  O  Lord,"  134 

"I  will  love  Thee,  O  Lord,"  soprano 
aria,  8 1 

"I  will  pour  my  spirit,"  431 

"I  will  sing  of  Thy  great  mercies," 
soprano  arioso,  311 

''I  will  sing  unto  the  Lord,  for  He 
hath  triumphed  gloriously;  the 
horse  and  his  rider  hath  He 
thrown  into  the  sea,"  chorus,  202 

''I  will  stay  here  beside  Thee,"  cho- 
rale, 6 

'If  I  the  prophet's  gift  possess," 
chorus,  335 

'If  thou  hadst  known,  O  Jerusalem," 
barytone  solo,  432 

'If  thou  knewest  the  gift  of  God," 
bass  solo,  80 

'If  with  all  your  hearts,"  tenor  aria, 

3'5 
'If  with  your  whole  hearts,"  chorus, 

4'3 

'If  ye  be  risen  with  Christ,"  tenor 

solo,  433 

'If  ye  then  be  risen,"  chorus,  340 
'Ihr  Seligen  deren,"  296 
'I  '11  to  the  well-trod  stage  anon,"  aria, 

198 
'In  all  her  majesty  shines  on  high 

the  heaven,"  tenor  recitative,  374 
''In     Andalusia     the     nightingale," 

tenor  recitative,  1 25 
''In  days  e'en  minstrels  now  forget," 

soprano,  bass,  and  chorus,  130 


486     INDEX   PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS 


"In  flames  ascending,"  chorus,  114 
"In  hac  mensa,"  quartette,  300 
"In  joy  and  peace  I  pass  away  when- 
ever God  willeth,"  chorale,  10 
"In  lofty  hall,  with  trophies  graced," 

contralto  solo,  131 
"In  lowly  guise  thy  King  appeareth," 

soprano  solo,  392 

"In  my  pleasant  land  of  France,"  255 
"In  native  worth,"  aria,  230 
"In  Palestine,  the  Holy  Land,"  chorus, 

261 
"In  Rama  was  there  a  voice,"  chorus, 

43 i 
"In    remembrance     everlasting," 

chorale,  192 
"In  rosy  mantle  appears,"  recitative, 

230 
"In   sweetest  harmony  they  lived," 

aria,  208 
"In     thankful     hymns     ascending," 

chorus,  122 
"In  the   beginning  was  the  word," 

280 
"In  the  earth  right  firmly  planted," 

bass  solo,  365 
"In  the  smiling  valley,  'mid  the  trees 

so  green,"  duet,  393 
"In  the  thick  wood,"  male  chorus, 

393 

"In  this  fair  bower,"  89 
"In  this,  O  vain,  misguided  man," 

aria,  234 
"Infant   raised    by   Thy   command, 

An,"  aria,  204 
"Inflammatus,"     soprano     obligate, 

Rossini's  "Stabat  Mater,"  369 
"Inflammatus  et  accensus,"  alto  solo, 

H7 

"Ingemisco,"  tenor  solo,  444 
"Insensates!     this    wild    delusion," 

1 68 

"Into  Thy  hands  my  spirit  I  com- 
mend," 10 

"Intreat  me  not  to  leave  thee,"  139 
"Invoke  your  forest  gods  and  moun- 
tain deities,"  316 

"Iron  tongue  of  midnight  hath  told 
twelve,  The,"  303 


"Is  not  His  word  like  a  fire?"   bass 

aria,  316 
"Is  not  this  He  whom  they  seek  to 

kill  ?"    chorus,  432 
"Is  not  this  Jesus?"  chorus,  431 
"Is  there  a  man  who  all  his  ways," 

chorus,  206 
"Is    this    He    who    in    Jerusalem," 

chorus,  3 1 1 
"It  is  a  good  thing  to  give  thanks," 

chorus,  158 

"It  is  enough,"  aria,  318 
"It  is  nor  virtue,  valor,  wit,"  aria,  210 
"It  is  the  lot  of  friends  to  part," 

quartette,  121 
"It  is  the  sea,"  427 
"It  is  the  old  decree,  man,  thou  art 

mortal,"  10 

"It  shines,"  chorus,  158 
"It  was  the  Winter  wild,"  chorus,  335 

J 

"JAM  nox  stellata,"  90 

"Jehovah's  praise  forever  shall  en- 
dure," 231 

"Jerusalem,  thou  that  killest  the 
prophets,"  soprano  solo,  310 

"Jesu!  by  that  shuddering  dread," 
bass  solo,  157 

"Jesu,  dulcis  memoria,"  chorale,  121 

"Jesu,  Maria,  I  am  near  to  death," 
tenor  solo,  156 

L' Jesus  my  Redeemer  lives,"  chorale, 
340 

''Join  with  thee  calm  peace  and 
quiet,"  chorus,  197 

''Joy,  joy  forever,  my  work  is  done!" 

397 

''  Joyful  like  her  sons  so  glorious,"  74 
''  Joyful  the  liquor  flows,"  chorus,  233 
''Joys  of  first  love,"  87 
''Judex,"  Gounod's  "Mors  et  Vita," 

192 
'Judex  ergo,"  Mozart's  "Requiem," 

321 

'Just  are  the  ways  of  God  to  man," 
aria,  210 


INDEX   PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS    487 


K 

"KiNG  all  glorious,"  166 

"King  gave  order  that  his  town  should 

keep   high  festival,   The,"   bass 

solo,  126 
''King  of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords," 

98 
''Klein  miithige!    HSrt  an  was  jetzt 

der     Geist     zu     Kiindea     uns 

gebeut,"  449 
'Kneeling  before  thee,  worshipping 

wholly,"  138 
'Know  ye  not  a  deed  so  daring," 

alto  solo,  295 

'Kyrie,"  Berlioz's  "Requiem,"  84 
'Kyrie,"  Mozart's  "Requiem,"  320, 

3".  323 

'Kyrie,"  Verdi's  "Manzoni  Re- 
quiem," 444 

'Kyrie  Eleison,"  Buck's  "The 
Golden  Legend,"  124 

'Kyrie  Eleison,"  Elgar's  "The 
Dream  of  Gerontius,"  156 


'LABOR  we  prepare  in  earnest,  The," 

chorus,  365 
'Lachrymosa,"  Berlioz's  "Requiem," 

85 

'Lacrymosa,"  Mozart's  "Requiem," 

322 
'Lament  of  the  sons  of  Usnach,  The," 

old  Irish  song,  417 
'Lament  with  a  doleful  lamentation," 

chorus,  135 

'Lasciate  ogni  speranza,"  277 
'Laudis  thema,"  chorus,  300 
'Laudo  Deum  verum!"  257 
'Laughing  Springtime,"  tenor  solo, 

147 
'Let    all    men    praise    the    Lord," 

chorale,  314 
'Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship 

Him,"  chorus,  216 
'Let    his    habitation    be    desolate," 

chorus,  161 
'Let  me  find  favor,"  duet,  139 


Let  me  then  depart  in  peace,"ii3 
Let  me  wander  not  unseen,"  aria, 

198 
Let   not  your  heart   be  troubled," 

tenor  aria,  339 
Let  old  Timotheus  yield  the  prize," 

chorus,  196 

Let  the  bright  seraphim,"  208,  212 
Let  the   lutes   play  their  loudest," 

chorus,  77 
Let  the  people  praise  Thee,"  bass 

air  with  chorus,  132 
Let  the  wheel  move  gayly,"  chorus, 

*34 

Let  their  celestial  concerts,"  chorus, 

208,  212 
Let  us  break  their  bonds  asunder," 

chorus,  216 

Let  us,  comrades,  round  her  press- 
ing," 367 
Let  us  eat  and  drink;    to-morrow 

we  die,"  chorus,  428 
Let  us  go  to  pray  before  the  Lord," 

chorus,  132 
Let  us  now  go  even  unto  Bethlehem," 

male  chorus,  430 
Let    us    sing,    the    moonlit    shores 

along,"  chorus,  409 
Let  your  voices  anthems  raise,"  360 
Libera,"    Verdi's    "Manzoni    Re- 
quiem," 445 

Lied  des  Deutschen  Sangers,"  394 
Lift  thine  eyes,"  trio,  originally  a 

duet,  314 
Lift  thine  eyes  to  the  mountains," 

trio,  318 
Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates!" 

chorus,  216 
Light  and  life  dejected  languish," 

cavatina,  234 
Light,  light  at  last,"  138 
Light  of  the  world,"  chorus,  155 
Light  out  of  darkness,"  chorus,  154 
Like  as  a  father,"  139 
Like   beaten   corn   sheaves,"  tenor 

solo,  1 66 
Listening     to     the     nightingales," 

arietta,  411 
Little  children,  all  rejoice,"  duet,  281 


488     INDEX    PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS 


"Lo!    a  vineyard   hath   Solomon  at 

Baalhamon,"  solo,  288 
"Lo!    now,  think  ye  we  lay  dream- 
ing?" 290 

"Lo,  once  our  prayer,"  bass  recita- 
tive, 451 
"Lo!     the    daughter    of    Herodias 

cometh  in,  she  danceth !"  chorus, 

280 
"Lo!   the  wrath  of  the  King  is  as  a 

messenger  of  death,"  chorus,  280 
"Lo !  this  is  He  of  whom  the  prophets 

spake,"  quartette  and  chorus,  290 
"Long  smouldering  hatreds,"  chorale 

recitative,  87 

"Look  down,  O  God!"  recitative,  6 
"  Look  where  Jesus  beckoning  stands," 

aria  with  chorus,  6 
"Lord  Almighty,  full  of  mercy,"  451 
"Lord  Almighty,  King  all  glorious," 

bass  aria,  2 

"Lord  bless  you,  The,"  chorus,  140 
"Lord,  bow  Thine  ear  to  our  prayer," 

soprano  duet  with  chorus,  315 
"Lord,  cause  Thy  face  to  shine  upon 

Thy  servant,"  duet,  134 
"Lord,  for  anguish  hear  us  moan- 
ing," quartette  and  chorus,  190 
"Lord,    forever    let    light    eternal," 

chorus,  191 

"Lord,  from  my  bed  again  I  rise,"  134 
"Lord  gave  the  word,  The,"  chorus, 

216 
"Lord  God,  my  Father,  holy  One," 

chorale,  10 

"Lord  God  of  Abraham,"  316 
"Lord  God  of  heaven  and  earth," 

quartette  and  chorus,  413 
"Lord  God  of  Israel,"  290 
"Lord   has   done   a   wonder,  The," 

chorus,  260 
"Lord   He   has   risen   again,   The," 

trio,  1 88 

"Lord,  if  Thou  hadst  been  here,"  432 
"Lord  is  a  man  of  war,  The,"  bass 

duet,  202 
"Lord   is   faithful    and   righteous   to 

forgive  our  sins,  The,"  alto  aria, 

339 


"Lord  is  good,  The,"  chorus,  133 
"Lord  is  great,  The,"  chorus,  229 
"Lord  is  mindful  of  His  own,  The," 

310,313 

"Lord  is  my  shepherd,  The,"  287 
"Lord  is  my  strength  and  my  song, 

The,"  soprano  duet,  202 
"Lord  is  nigh,  The,"  quartette,  429 
"Lord  is  risen,  The,"  six-part  chorus, 

433 

"Lord  is  strong  in  might,  The,"  372 
"Lord   Jesus,   Thou   to   all   bringest 

light  and  salvation,"  chorale,  186 
"Lord,  make  me  to  know  the  measure 

of  my  days  on  earth,"  96 
"Lord   of    all    power   and    might," 

IZ5 

"Lord  of  grace  and  truth  unfailing," 
chorus,  392 

"Lord  said,  The,"  recitative,  135 

"Lord  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever, 
The,"  chorus,  203 

"Lord!  Thou  alone  art  God," 
chorus,  310 

"Lord,  Thou  hast  been  our  dwelling 
place,"  chorus,  138 

"Lord,  who  hath  believed  our  re- 
port?" solo,  431 

"Lord  will  command  His  loving- 
kindness  in  the  day-time;  and  in 
the  night  His  song  shall  be  with 
me,  and  my  prayer  unto  the  God 
of  my  life,  The,"  male  quartette, 
199 

"Lord  worketh  wonders,  The,"  aria, 

219 

Loud  is  the  thunder's  awful  voice," 
tenor  aria,  209 

"Love  in  her  eyes  sits  playing  and 

sheds  delicious  death,"  aria,  195 

Love  is  freighted  with  sorrow  and 

care,"  250 
Love  is  so  fleeting,  night  is  so  fair," 

345 
Love   not   the   world,"    alto   song, 

429 

Love  sounds  the  alarm,"  195 
Love  too  deep  for  words  to  speak, 

The,"  love-song,  77 


INDEX    PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS     489 


"Love  will  cure  these  thin  distempers," 

four-part    song    for    tenors    and 

basses,  127 
**  Lovely  appear  over  the  mountains," 

chorus,  1  88,  189 
"Lower!      Lower!      Hover     down- 

ward!" 257 

Luther's  Christmas  hymn,  2 
"Lux  aeterna,"  Verdi's  "Manzoni  Re- 

quiem," 445 

M 


bright   elf   of    dreamland," 

tenor  solo  and  chorus,  87 
"Macht'gen     Spah'n     verfolgt     un* 

iiberall,  Der,"  448 
**  'Madmen,'  he  cried,  'your  strife  for- 

bear,' "  bass  solo,  quartette,  and 

chorus,  131 

"Magnificat  anima  mea,"  chorus,  7 
"Make  a  joyful  noise  unto  the  Lord, 

all  ye  lands,"  287 

"Man  can  receive  nothing,  A,"  280 
"Man  goeth  forth,"  chorus,  139 
"Man  who  flies  our  sacrifice,  The," 

295 
"Many  rend  the  skies  with  loud  ap- 

plause, The,"  chorus,  196 
Marcia  Funebre,  34,  35 
"Marguerite's   glorification,"   double 

chorus,  91 
"Mark,  ye   serfs,  your  lord's   com- 

mands," 359 
"Master,  get  Thee  out,  and  depart 

hence,"  432 
"Master's    hand    the    mould    may 

shatter,  The,"  chorus,  366 
"Mavis  carols  in  the  shaw,  The," 

contralto  solo,  255 
May  Night  Fantasy,  342 
"Meine  Rub'  ist  hin,"  90 
"Men  and  brethren,"  chorus,  Paine'* 

"Saint  Peter,"  340 
"Men  and  brethren,"  chorus,  Sulli- 

van's "The  Light  of  the  World," 

433 
"Men,  brethren,  and  fathers!"   solo, 

310 


"Merriest  games  with  thee  would  we 

play,"  chorus,  260 
"Merry    pipe    and    pleasing    string, 

The,"  209 
"Mid  tears  and  solemn  mourning," 

antiphonal  chorus,  262 
"Mid  yon  gloomy  mountains,"  359 
"Midnight    sun    on    the    mountain 

burns,"  chorus,  108 
"Mighty  Lord,  to  us  be  gracious," 

chorus,  149 

"Mighty  Saviour,  Jesus  blest,"  quar- 
tette, 191 

"Millions,  loving,  I  embrace  you,"  74 
"Mine  the  doom  she  hath  spoken,"  168 
"Mirth,  admit  me  of  thy  crew,"  aria, 

197 

"Miscreant!  woe  to  thee,"  113 
"Mors    stupebit,"     Mozart's    "Re- 
quiem," 321 
"Moses  and  the  children  of  Israel 

sang  this  song,"  chorus,  202 
"Most  mighty,  most  holy,"  chorus, 

346 
"Mourn,  Israel,  mourn  thy  beauty 

lost,"  chorus,  208 
" Mourn,  ye  afflicted  children,"  chorus 

218 

"Must  I  my  Acis  still  bemoan  ?"  195 
"My  Beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his," 

288 
"My   faith    and   truth,   O    Samson, 

prove,"  210 
"My  genial  spirits  droop,"  recitative, 

210 
"My  heart  is  glad  and  my  spirit  re- 

joiceth,"  bass  aria,  338 
"My  heart  with  grief  is  heavy,"  90 
"My  heart  with  sorrow  overflowing," 

108 
"My    Redeemer    and    my    Lord," 

Buck's  "The  Golden  Legend," 

123 

"My  Redeemer  and  my  Lord,"  Sul- 
livan's "The  Golden  Legend," 

426 
"My    song    shall    alway    be    Thy 

mercy,"  soprano  and  tenor  duet, 

3'4 


490     INDEX    PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS 


"My  soul  doth  magnify  the  Lord," 
soprano  solo,  431 

"My  soul  rejects  the  thought  with 
scorn,"  aria,  205 

"My  strength  is  from  the  living  God," 
aria,  211 

"My  tears  have  been  my  meat,"  so- 
prano recitative,  299 

"My  Waldemar,  how  erred  thine 
Eglantine?"  359 

"My  work  is  done,  my  task  is  o'er," 
solo,  156 

N 

''NATIONS  are  now  the  Lord's,  The," 
five-part  chorus,  311 

r'Ne  absorbeat  eas  Tartarus,"  Mo- 
zart's "Requiem,"  322 

'Need  is  there  for  Thyself  returning," 
chorus,  392 

'Neither  hath  this  man  sinned," 
recitative,  154 

'Nessun  maggior  dolore,"  277 

'Never  before  was  known  a  deed  like 
this,"  285 

'Never  will  my  heart  refuse  Thee," 
soprano  aria,  5 

'Night  is  calm  and  cloudless,  The," 
aria,  Buck's  "The  Golden 
Legend,"  124 

'Night  is  calm  and  cloudless,  The," 
solo,  Sullivan's  "  The  Golden  Leg- 
end," 427 

'Night  is  dark,  The,"  recitative, 
126 

"Night  is  departing,  The,"  chorus, 

3H 

"Night  retires  to  woods,  The,"  chorus, 

147 
*No  bliss  can  be  so  great,"  chorus, 

359 
'No  evil  shall  befall  thee,"  chorus, 

'35 

'No,  let  the  guilty  tremble,"  aria,  207 
'No  one  listens!  My  sad  words  echo 

but  repeats,"  recitative,  225 
'No !  't  is  not  vapor  nor  storm-clouds 

that  gather,"  solo,  372 


"No  war  or  battle's  sound  was  heard 

the  world  around,"  335 
"Noble    maiden,    low    before    thee 

Sayid  bows,"  duet,  285 
"Noch  toset   des   Sturmes   Gewalt," 

recitative  and  chorus,  296 
"Nocte     surgentes,"     Buck's    "The 

Golden  Legend,"  123 
"Nocte  surgentes,"  Liszt's  "The  Bells 

of  Strasburg,"  258 
Nocturne,  in  E  Major,  Mendelssohn, 

302 

"None  but  holy,  lofty  thoughts,"  358 
"Not  unchastised  shall  this  audacious 

band,"  14 

"Not  yet,"  alto  solo,  397 
"Not  yet  defeated,"  168 
"Notre  Pere,  loue1  soil  nom  radieux," 

292 

"Novissima  hora  est,"  156 
"Now   all    are   ambassadors   in    the 

name  of  Christ,"  tenor  and  bass 

duet,  311 

"Now  all  gives  way,"  chorus,  148 
"Now  at  the  miller's,"  393 
"Now,  behold  ye  the  guard,  this,  your 

sleep-vanquished  guard,"  chorus, 

1 88 
"Now  cease  the  conflicts,"  trio  and 

chorus,  233 
"Now,  Flora,  deck  thyself  in  fairest 

guise,"  chorus,  337 
"Now  he  crosseth  the  floods  of  the 

salt  desert  waste,"  chorus,  109 
"Now  Heaven  in  fullest  glory  shone," 

aria,  230 
"Now  know  I,  Hubert,  thou  speakest 

true,"  quartette,  359 
"Now  morn  is  blushing  in  the  sky," 

tenor  narration,  397 
"Now  only  unto  Him,"  chorus,  312 
"Now  swift,  ye  horses,"   recitative, 

345 

"Now  the  hungry  lion  roars,"  303 
"Now  there  arose  a  new  king  over 

Egypt  who  knew  not  Joseph," 

tenor  recitative,  200 
"Now  this  man  ceaseth  not  to  utter 

blasphemous  words,"  chorus,  310 


INDEX    PRINCIPAL    NUMBERS     491 


"Now  wanders  forth  the  Peri  sigh- 
ing," tenor  narration,  396 
"Now  we  believe,"  chorus,  79,  82 
"Nowhere  abides  such  delight,"  114 
"Nun    freut    euch,    lieben    Christen 
G'mein,"  hymn,  80 

O 

"O  BEAUTT  of  holiness,"  114 

"O  bien-aime  sous  la  sombre  cou- 

ronne,"  093 

"O  blessed  Jesus,"  chorale,  4 
"O  bone  patria,"  soprano  aria,  347 
"O  boundless  Nature,  spirit  sublime !" 

9° 
**O   brothers,   quick,   arise!"    male 

chorus,  289 

"O  Brothers,  these  tones  no  longer! 
Rather  let  us  join  to  sing  in  cheer- 
ful measures  a  song  of  joyf  ulness," 
barytone  recitative,  74 
"O  come  and  see  the  pleasance  of  the 

spring,"  127 

"O   country,   bright   and   fair,"   so- 
prano aria,  347 
"O  Eden,  how  longeth  for  thee  my 

heart!"  396 

"O  Eros,  Allsieger  im  Kampf,"  296 
"O   fairest   of   ten   thousand   fair," 

duet,  206 

"O  fasst  Vertrau'n,"  chorus,  448 
"O  Father,  whose  almighty  power," 

218 
"O  gladsome  light!"    choral  hymn, 

426 

"O  gladsome  light  of  the  Father,"  123 
"O  God,  have  mercy  upon  me,"  311 
"O  god-like  youth!"  aria,  205 
"O  God,  make  them  like  a  wheel," 

'34 
"O  God,  my  God,  forsake  me  not," 

aria,  339 

"O  happy  pair,"  recitative.  231 
"O  haste  ye  then,"  bass  recitative,  3 
"O  Haupt,  voll  Blut  und  Wunden," 

hymn,  2 

**O  Head,  all  bruised  and  wounded!" 
chorale,  6 


"O    Himmel,    welch"    Entriicken," 
scena,  with    violin  obligate  and 

chorus,  17 

"O  holy  Babe,"  290 
"O  King  indeed,  though  no  man  hail 

Thee,"  five-part  chorus,  392 
"O  King,  live  forever!"  chorus,  280 
"O  lady,  never  sit  alone,"  255 
"O  Lamb  of  God   all  blameless!" 

chorale,  5 
"O  Lord  Almighty,  God  of  Israel," 

158 
"O    Lord,    be    gracious    unto    us," 

chorus,  288 
"O  Lord,  I  have  labored  in  vain;  oh, 

that  I  now  might  die!"  318 
"O  Lord,  in  Thee  have  I  trusted," 

chorus,  222 
"O  Lord,  incline  us  to  consider  that 

our  days  are  numbered,"  tenor 

solo,  9 
"O  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  King  of  Glory," 

191 
"O  Lord,  thou  hast  searched  me  out," 

contralto  solo,  Si 
"  O  Lord,  whose  mercies  numberless," 

aria,  206 

"O  Lord,  whose  providence,"  206 
"O  Love,  thy  car  triumphal,"  285 
"O  make  a  joyful  noise,"  chorale,  134 
"O    man,    bewail    thy    great    sin!" 

chorale,  6 

"O  Man  of  God !"  soprano  solo,  340 
"O  meadow,  dad  in  early  green," 

tenor  solo,  83 

"O  mes  soeurs!"  aria,  292 
"O  mourn,  O  mourn,  strew  choicest 

flowers,"  88 

"O    my   fatherland!     blest   remem- 
brance!" aria,  113 
"O  my  God!   my  soul  is  cast  down 

within  me;  all  Thy  waves  and 

Thy  billows  are  gone  over  me," 

soprano  recitative,  299 
"O  my  Lord,  if  I  must  grieve  you," 

duet,  77 
"O  my  soul,  be  content  and  be  thou 

peaceful,"  chorus,  9 
"Oraceof  mortal  men!"  chorus,  335 


492 


INDEX    PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS 


'O  Rinaldo,   come  to  never-ending 

bliss,"  175 
''O   sacrum  convivium,"   antiphonal 

melody,  161 
''O,  seht  sie  nah  und  naher  treten," 

recitative  and  chorus,  17 
'O  sons  of  men,  with  gladness,"  trio 

with  chorus,  14 
'O  Storm-King,   hear   us,"   chorus, 

410 

''O  summer  night!"  344 
'O    sweet    fancy,    let    her    loose," 

chorus,  336 
'O  Thou,  in  heaven's  dome,"  tenor 

solo,  154 

'O  thou  my  star!"  tenor  aria,  121 
*O  Thou  that  tellest,"  alto  solo,  214 
'O  Thou,  the  true  and  only  light," 

chorale,  311 
'O  thou  who  sittest  on  the  throne," 

aS5 

*O  Thou  whose  life-blood  streamed," 
262 

'O,  'tis  delight  when  the  land  far 
appeareth,"  chorus,  108 

'O  triumph,  all  ye  ransomed!"  obli- 
gate with  chorus,  14 

'O  wondrous  light,"  289 

*O  ye  righteous!"    168 

'Of  all  bright  thoughts  that  bloom 
on  earth,"  chorus,  269 

'Of  love,  faith  is  the  pledge  and 
token,"  aria,  10 

'Of  wasted  fields  and  plundered 
flocks,"  contralto  solo,  131 

'Offertorium,"  84,  86 

'Oft  on  a  plat  of  rising  ground,"  198 

'Oh!  Atritone,"  aria,  113 

'Oh,  be  gracious,  ye  immortals," 
chorus,  312 

'Oh,  beauteous  land !"  quartette,  396 

'Oh,  blessed  are  the  meek,"  166 

'Oh,  blessed  be  He!"  chorus,  165 

'Oh,  blessed  forever,"  chorus,  1 66 

'Oh,  blessed  tears  of  true  repent- 
ance!" quartette  and  chorus,  397 

'Oh,  blest  are  the  pure,"  167 

'Oh !  come,  every  one  that  thirsteth," 
quartette,  319 


"Oh,  come,  ye    of    my   Father    be- 
loved," 1 68 
"Oh,     day     of     mourning,     day    of 

sorrow!"  aria,  261 
"Oh,    fatal    consequence    of    rage!" 

chorus,  207 
"Oh,  fatal  day,  how  low  the  mighty 

lie!"  208 
"Oh,    fill    thou    even   with   light   of 

heaven,"  duet,  344 
"Oh,  first -created  beam,"  chorus,  209 
"Oh,   give    me   faith,   my   Father!" 

chorale,  n 

"Oh,  grant  me  in  the  dust  to  fall,"  148 
"Oh,  great  is  the  depth  of  the  riches 

of  wisdom,"  chorus,  311 
"Oh,  guide  me  in  the  way!"  148 
"Oh,  happy  he,"  166 
"  Oh,  joy !   foretaste  of  heaven's  rest," 

quartette,  393 
"Oh,   let   me   only  breathe  the  air, 

love!"  397 

"Oh,  lovely  peace!"  duet,  220 
"Oh,  may  my  life  be  spent  in  virtue," 

chorus,  335 
"  Oh,  mirror  of  our  fickle  state,"  aria, 

209 

"Oh,  pardon  me,  my  God !"  aria,  6 
"Oh,  pious  frame  of  mind,"  89 
"Oh,  pure  in  heart!"  chorus,  427 
"Oh,  rest  in  the  Lord,"  310,  313,  318 
"Oh,  ruddier  than  the  cherry!"  195 
"Oh,    tarry!     oh,    shorten    not    the 

hour,"  261 

"Oh,   tender   longing,  hope   delight- 
some," duet,  365 
"Oh,    that    men    would    praise    the 

Lord,"  chorus,  429 
"Oh,    that    thou    hadst    hearkened," 

aria,  429 

"Oh,  the  earth  is  fair  in  plain  and 
glade,"  bass  recitative  and  aria, 
410 
"Oh,   the   pleasures   of  the   plains," 

chorus,  194 

"Oh,  we  cannot,  for  around  it,"  257 
"Oh,    we    cannot!     the    ArchangJ 
Michael  flames  from  every  win- 
dow," 258 


INDEX    PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS     493 


*Oh,  welcome  'mid  the  blessed!"  397 
'Oh,   what    delight   when    storm    is 

crashing,"  drinking-song,  89 
'Oh,  wretched  Israel,"  chorus,  119 
'Old  \V inter's  hand  is  always  free," 

281 

'Omnes  generationes,"  chorus,  7 
'Omnipotent  Zeus!    we  call  on  thy 

name,"  duet,  113 

'On  Me  then  fall  Thy  heavy  judg- 
ment," duet,  14 
'On  mighty  pens,"  aria,  229 
'On    mossy    bed    her    gentle    form 

reposes,"  female  chorus,  361 
'On  the  flowery  mead,  girt  by  the 

dimpling  tide,"  chorus,  113 
'On  Thee  each  living  soul  awaits," 

trio,  230 

*One  hope  is  thine,"  396 
'Only  bleed,  Thou  dearest  heart," 

aria,  5 

*  Onward!  onward!  With  the  night- 

wind,"  258 
'Open   the    heavens    and    send    us 

relief,"  chorus,  317 
'Open  to  me,  my  sister,  my  bride,"  288 
'Or  let  the  merry  bells  ring  round," 

aria  and  chorus,  198 
'Ora  pro  nobis,"  125 
'Oracle,    sweet-tongued    of    Zeus," 

chorus,  334 
'Oro  supplei  et  acclinis,"  Mozart's 

"Requiem,"  322 

*  Orpheus    himself    may    heave    hii 

head,"  aria,  198 
*Our  home  shall  be  on  thi*  bright 

isle,"  410 

*Our  life  is  short  and  tedious,"  159 
'Our  sails  to  the  breezes,"  chorus,  113 
'Over  hill,  over  dale,"  301 
'Over  the  barren  wastes  shall  flowen 

have  possession,"  soprano  solo, 

1 88 


"PAIN  is  over,  The,"  semi-chorus,  261 
"Pars  mea,  rex  meus,"  chorus,  346 
"People   shall   hear   and   be   afraid, 
The,"  chorus,  203 


"People    that    walked    in    darkness, 

The,"  aria,  215 
"People   victorious,"   contralto   solo, 

347 
"Per  mi  si  va  nella   citta  dolente," 

recitative,  277 

"Philistines,  hark,  the  trumpet  sound- 
ing," solo,  133 
"Phoebus,  arise,  and  paint  the  sable 

skies  with  azure,  white,  and  red," 

chorus,  337 
Pilgrim's  Song,  262 
"Pilgrims'     March,"     Mendelssohn, 

306 

"Pious  orgies,"  soprano  solo,  218 
"Pious    youth    was    Fridolin,    A," 

chorus,  358 
"Poor  children  mine,  let  me  mourn 

you,"  88 

"Poor  human  souls,"  chorus,  166 
"Poor  youth,  thus  deserted,"  mezzo- 
soprano  solo,  397 
"Populous   cities   please   me   then," 

solo  with  chorus,  198 
"Praise  His  awful  name,"  chorus,  412 
"Praise  the  Almighty  One,"  374 
"Praise  the  Lord,"  soprano  solo  with 

chorus,  77 
"Praise  the   Redeemer's   goodness," 

scena  and  aria,  14 
"Praise  thou  the  Lord,  O  my  spirit!" 

semi-chorus,  313 

"Praise  to  the  Father,"  chorale,  340 
"Praise  to  the  Holiest  in  the  height," 

'57 
"Preserve  him  for  the  glory  of  Thy 

name,"  chorus,  206 
"Presuming  slave!"  aria,  211 
"Pro  peccatis,"  bass  aria,  368 
"Proceed,   thou   hateful   minion,   on 

thy  path,"  bass  scena,  358 
"Prometheus,  woe  to  thee!"  chorus, 

»6y 
"Pure  as  thy  heart,"  chorus,  137 


Berlioz's    "Re- 


me, 
quiem,"  85 


494     INDEX    PRINCIPAL    NUMBERS 


"Quaerens  me,"  Mozart's  "Re- 
quiem," 322 

"Quam  olim  Abrahae,"  Mozart's 
"Requiem,"  322 

"Quando  corpus,"  quartette,  Ros- 
sini's "  Stabat  Mater,"  369 

"Quando  corpus  morietur,"  quartette 
and  chorus,  147 

"Quantus  tremor  est  futurus,"  85 

"Quia  fecit  mihi  magna,"  aria,  7 

"Quia  respexit  humilitatem  ancillae 
suae,"  aria,  7 

"Quid  sum  miser,"  Berlioz's  "Re- 
quiem," 85 

"Quid  sum  miser,"  Mozart's  "Re- 
quiem," 321 

"Quid  sum  miser,"  Verdi's  "Man- 
zoni  Requiem,"  444 

"Quis  est  homo,"  Dvorak's  "Stabat 
Mater,"  145 

"Quis  est  homo,"  Rossini's  "Stabat 
Mater,"  368 


"RADIANT,  rejoicing,  strong,  Buddha 

arose,"  128 
"Raise   now   your    song   on   high," 

chorus,  381 
Rakoczy  march,  88 
"Rash  adventurer,  bear  thee  back," 

chorus,  131 
"Recordare,"  Mozart's  "Requiem," 

322 

"Recordare,"  Verdi's  "Manzoni  Re- 
quiem," 444 
"Red  is  the  wild  revenge,"  chorus, 

350 
"Refrain  thy  voice  from  weeping," 

tenor  aria,  431 
"Rejected    and    sent    from    Eden's 

door,"  397 

"Rejoice  greatly,"  soprano  aria,  215 
"Rejoice,  O  my  soul,  change  weeping 

to  smiling,"  aria,  9 
"Remember,  remember  from  whence 

thou  art  fallen,"  chorus,  339 
"Remember  the  glories  of  Brian  the 

brave,"  Irish  song,  417 


"Rene  the  king  will  ride  forth  from 

the  gate,"  chorus,  411 
"Repent,  and  believe  the  glad  tidings 

of  God,"  chorus,  338 
"Repent  ye,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is 

at  hand,"  barytone  solo,  279 
"Reproaches,    The,"   for   chorus   or 

quartette,  186 
"Requiem,"    Mozart's    "Requiem," 

320,  321 

"Requiem,"  Verdi's    "Manzoni    Re- 
quiem," 444,  445 
"Requiem         aetemam,"     Gounod's 

"Mors  et  Vita,"  190 
"Requiem      aeternam      dona      eis," 

Berlioz's  "Requiem,"  84,  86 
"Rescue  him,  O  Lord,"  chorus,  156 
"Restrained    by   might,"    hymn   for 

bass  solo  and  chorus,  295 
"Return,  return,  O  God  of  Hosts," 

210 
"Revels  now  are  o'er,  The,"  chorus, 

87 
"'Revenge,     revenge!'      Timotheus 

cries,"  aria,  196 
"Rex  tremendae  majestatis,"  Berlioz's 

"Requiem,"  85 

"Rex    tremendae    majestatis,"    Mo- 
zart's "Requiem,"  321 
"Rex  tremendae  majestatis,"  Verdi's 

"Manzoni  Requiem,"  ^^ 
"Right  helpful  is  the  might  of  fire," 

chorus,  366 
"Righteous    shall    enter    into    glory 

eternal,  The,"  soprano  solo,  192 
"Ring    out,    ye    crystal     spheres," 

chorus,  336 

"Rise  up!  arise!"  chorus,  311 
"Rise  up,  rise  up,  my  love,"  286 
"Roar,  wind  of  the  tempest,  roar!" 

chorus,  410 

"Rolling  in  foaming  billows,"  228 
"Romeo  too  is  there,"  contralto  solo, 

87 
"Rouse  thee,  my  fainting  soul,"  tenor 

solo,  156 
"Ruddy   morning,   it   is   my   death, 

The,"  345 
"Rudello,"  394 


INDEX   PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS 


495 


"SACRIFICE  of  prayer   and   praise," 

chorus,  191 
"Sacrifices   of    God,  The,"    chorus, 

4*9 

"Sadly  the  skald   walks  before  the 

train,"  chorus,  108 
"Said  I  not  unto  thee,"  barytone  solo, 

43* 

"Salve  me,"  Berlioz's  "Requiem,"  85 
"Salve   me,"   Mozart's   "Requiem," 

311 
"Sanctify   us   through    Thy   truth," 

quartette  and  chorus,  339 
"Sancta  Maria,"  enthroned  above," 

chorus,  359 

"Sancta  Mater,"  quartette,  368 
"Sanctus,"  Berlioz's  "Requiem,"  84, 

86 
"Sanctus,"  Gounod's  "Mors  et  Vita," 

191,  193 
"Sanctus,"  Mozart's  "Requiem,"  300, 

3" 

"Sanctus,"    Verdi's    "Manzoni    Re- 
quiem," 444 
"Sanctus  fortis,"  Elgar's  "The  Dream 

of  Gerontius,"  156 
"Saul,   Saul,   why   persecuted    thou 

Me?"  311 

"Saviour  of  men,"  chorus,  187 
"Say,  have  ye  heard  the  tidings  of 

joy?"  chorus,  113 
"Say,  is  it  so  ?"  quartette,  397 
"Say,  sweetest  Jesus,"  chorale,  5 
"Say  ye  that  in  the  night  His  disciples 

have  come  and  stolen  Him  away," 

male  chorus,  188 
"See  how  gay  the  valley  shines,"  trio 

and  chorus,  41 1 
"See   the   conquering   hero   comes," 

march  chorus,  220 
"See  what   love  hath   the   Father," 

chorus,  312 
"See  with  what  a  scornful  air,"  aria, 

205 
"Seek   first   the   kingdom   of   God," 

quartette  and  chorus,  160 
"Seek  Him,"  male  chorus,  154 


"Seid  getrost,  Ich  bin  euch  nah,  und 

Mein  Geist  ist  mit  euch,"  449 
"Seid  uns  gegriisst,  ihr  lieben  Briider," 

448 
"Seraphim  above  Him  cried  one  to 

the  other,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  God 

the  Lord !  The,"  double  chorus, 

319 
"Serpent  in  my  bosom  warmed,  A," 

aria,  206 
"Set  in  order  thine  house,  for  thou 

shah  die  and  not  live,"  aria,  10 
"Seufzer  eines  Ungeliebten,"  song,  76 
"Seuil  est  pare1  de  fleurs  rares,  Le," 

chorus,  292 
"Shaded  hyacinth,   always   sapphire 

queen,"  chorus,  336 
"Shake  the  casements,"  258 
"She    is    moving,    she    is    moving," 

chorus,  367 
"She  will   bring  in  spite  of  frost," 

soprano  solo,  336 
"Shepherd    donned    his   best    array, 

The,"  chorus,  88 
"Shepherds    on    the    lawn,    The," 

quartette,  336 

"Shouldst  thou,  walking  in  grief,"  318 
"Sicut  locutus  est,"  five-part  fugue,  8 
"Sighing,  mourning,  sorrow,  tears 

waste  away  my  troubled  heart," 

aria,  8 
"Sin  not,  O  king,  against  the  youth," 

206 
"Since  by  man  came  death,"  quartette 

with  choral  response,  217 
"Sing,  O  heavens,  and  be  joyful,  O 

earth,"  chorus,  289 
"Sing  the  Lord,  ye  voices  all,"  chorus, 

131 
"Sing  unto  God,"  chorus,  Handel's 

"Judas  Maccabaeus,"  220 
"Sing  unto  God,"  soprano  and  tenor 

duet,  Paine's  "Saint  Peter,"  341 
"Sing  yc  praise,  all  ye  redeemed  of 

the  Lord,"  recitative,  313 
"Sing  ye  to  the  Lord,  for  He  hath 

triumphed  gloriously,"  203 
"Singers  are  before  the  altar,  The," 

duet,  1 61 


496     INDEX    PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS 


"Sink,  scenes  illusive,  deep  in  dark 

abyss  of  doom!"  176 
"Sitting   upon    the   throne,"   chorus, 

I92 

"Slayer  of  darkness,"  114 
"Sleep,  happy  Faust,"  chorus,  89 
''Sleep  in  bower  and  hall,"  138 
"Sleep,   my   beloved,    and   take   thy 

repose,"  cradle-song  for  alto,  3 
"Sleep  on,"  397 

"Sleep,   sweet    Babe,    my   cares   be- 
guiling," cradle-song,  290 
"Sleepers,  wake!    a  voice  is  calling," 

chorale,  311 
"Slowly,  slowly  up   the  wall,"   alto 

recitative,  426 
"So  near  to  perfect  joy  and  peace," 

soprano  solo,  350 
"So  persecute  them,"  134 
"So  rapid  thy  course  is,"  219 
"Softly  and  gently,  dearly  ransomed 

soul,"  solo,  157 
"Softly  the  Indian  night  sunk  o'er 

the  plain,"  chorus,  128 
"Sometimes   let    gorgeous    tragedy," 

recitative  and  aria,  198 
"Son  of  honor,  theme  of  story,"  male 

chorus,  131 
"Son  of  man  was  delivered  into  the 

hands  of  sinful  men,  The,"  chorus, 

339 
"Song    is    resounding,    dancers    are 

bounding,"  chorus,  359 
"Soon  noble  fruit  by  toil  was  won," 

tenor  recitative  and  soprano  solo, 

45 » 
"Sorrow    and    mourning    shall    flee 

away,"  348 
"Sorrows    of    death    had    closed    all 

around  me,  The,"  tenor  solo,  313 
"Sound  a\i  alarm,"  219 
"Spe  modo  vivitur,"  bass  solo,  346 
"Speed  us  on  to  fight,"  134 
"Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,  The," 

barytone    solo,   Sullivan's   "The 

Light  of  the  World,"  431 
"Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,  The," 

soprano     aria,     Paine's     "Saint 

Peter,"  338 


"Spring  from  the  earth,  red  roses," 

138 

"Spring  her  lovely  charms  unfolding," 

duet  with  chorus,  232 
"Stabat  Mater  dolorosa,"  Dvorak's 

"Stabat  Mater,"  145 
"Stabat  Mater  dolorosa,"  Rossini's 

"Stabat  Mater,"  368 
"Slant  Syon  atria,"  double  chorus, 

347 

"Stately  rises  our  work  on  high,"  371 
"Stone  him  to  death,"  chorus,  310 
"Storms  wildly  roar,"  soprano  solo, 

109 
"Stoutly  walled  cities  we  fain  would 

win,"  chorus,  90 
"Strahl  des  Helios  schonstes  Licht," 

296 
"Straight  mine  eye  hath  caught  new 

pleasures,"  aria,  198 
"Stricken  with  sorrow,"  168 
"Strike  the  cymbals,"  387 
"Strike  the  harp,"  chorus,  223 
"Sumit  unus,"  solo  and  chorus,  300 
"Sun  goeth  down,  The,"  161 
"Sun  in  the  sky  now  mounteth  high," 

solo  quartette,  109 
"Surely  He  hath  borne  our  griefs," 

chorus,  215 
"Suscepit  Israel  puerum  suum:    re- 

cordatus  misericordiae  suae,"  ter- 
zetto, 8 

"Susceptible  hearts,"  chorus,  17 
"Sweet  bird  that  shun'st  the  noise  of 

folly,"  197 

"Sweet  is  our  welcome,"  solo,  396 
"Sweet  is  the  air  with  budding  haws," 

duet,  427 
"Sweet  the  angelus  is  ringing,"  duet 

and  chorus,  411 
"Sweet  the  balmy  days  of    spring," 

chorus,  285 
"Swing   low,   sweet   chariot,"  negro 

jubilee  melody,  152 


'TAKE  him  away,"  310 
'Te  decet  hymnus,"  444 


INDEX    PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS     497 


'Teach  us  then  to  come  before  Thee," 

duet,  374 
'Tell    ye    the    daughter    of    Zion," 

soprano  solo,  432 
''Ten  years  now  are  past  since  Troy 

in  the  dust  was  laid,"  chorus,  113 
'Thai,  Das,"  394 
'Thanks  be  to  God,"  317 
'Thanksgiving  at  harvest  time,"  139 
'That  hour  I  long  for,"  duet,  149 
'Their   land    brought   forth   frogs," 

mezzo  soprano  aria,  200 
'Their  sound   is  gone  out  into  all 

lands,"  chorus,  216 
'Then  come,  Lord  Jesus,"  quartette, 

4'3 

'Then   cometh    Jesus   to   a   city   of 

Samaria,"  recitative,  80 
'Then  free  from  sorrow,"  solo,  209 
'Then  in  her  tears  she  slept,"  chorus, 

128 
'Then    purge    from    your    hearts," 

chorus,  167 
'Then     round     about     the     starry 

throne,"  chorus,  210 
'Then  shall  they  know,"  chorus,  209 
'Then  shall  we  see  His  glory,"  chorus 

'39 

'Then,    then    shall    the    righteous 

shine,"  tenor  aria,  319 
'There  came  a  wind  which  lulled 

each  sense  aswoon,"  chorus,  128 
'There  falls  a  drop  on  the  land  of 

Egypt,"  soprano  and  tenor  solos 

with  chorus,  397 
"There  is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the 

angels  of  God,"  soprano  solo,  428 
'There  let  Hymen  oft  appear"  aria, 

198 
'There  once  was  a  maiden  in  Melrose 

town,"  ballad,  255 
'There  shall  come  forth  a  rod  out  of 

the  stem  of  Jesse,"  chorus,  430 
'There   stand   those   halls,"   double 

chorus,  347 
"There  was  a  king  in  Thule,"  ballad, 

9° 

*There  was   a   king  once  reigning, 
who  had  a  big  black  flea,"  89 


"There  was  a  rat  in  the  cellar  nest," 

89 

"There  was  not  one  of  them  left,"  202 
"There  were  shepherds  abiding  in  the 

field,"  tenor  recitative,  430 
"Therefore  let  us  cast  off  the  works  of 

darkness,"  314 
"Therefore  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord 

shall  return,"  alto  solo  and  chorus, 

348 
"Therefore  they  shall  come  and  sing," 

chorus,  8 1 
"Therefore  with  joy  shall  ye  draw 

water,"  chorus,  81 
"These  delights,  if  thou  canst  give," 

aria  with  chorus,  198 
"They  fly  through  the  narrow  straits 

of  the  valley  as  storms  that  force 

their  way  through  the  mountain 

gorges,  like  a  falling  star,"  272 
"They  have  profaned  it,"  chorus,  133 
"They  loathed  to  drink  of  the  river," 

chorus,  200 
"They  sing  of  Spring  and  love,  of 

happy  golden  youth,"  394 
"Thine  adorable,  true,  and  only  Son," 

chorus,  222 

"Thine  is  the  kingdom,"  413 
"This  garment  by  day  I  weave  in  my 

sorrow,"  aria,  113 
"This  is,  in  truth,  the  noblest  deed," 

268 
''This  is  Jehovah's  temple,"  chorus, 

3™ 

''This  is  My  Beloved  Son,"  chorus, 

280 

"This  is  no  earthly  night,"  262 
"This  is   that  happy  morn,"  tenor 

solo,  337 
''This  is  the  witness  of  God,"  chorus, 

34° 
'This  night  I  lift  my  heart  to  Thee," 

'35 
''Those    whom    the    Highest    One 

befriends,"  78 

"Thou  art  from  first  to  last,"  trio,  381 
"Thou  art  gone  up  on  high,"  aria,  216 
"Thou  art  lovely,  O  my  friend,  as 

Thirza,"  287 


498     INDEX    PRINCIPAL    NUMBERS 


"Thou  art  the  Christ,"  recitative,  338 
"Thou  city  great  and  high,"  quartette 

and  chorus,  347 

"Thou  dear  Redeemer,"  chorale,  5 
"Thou   Delphic   rock,   who  can    he 

be  ?"  chorus,  334 
"Thou  didst  'blow  with  the  wind," 

soprano  aria,  203 
"Thou   far-darting   sun,"   recitative, 

"3 

"Thou  in  Thy  mercy,"  duet,  203 
"Thou,   O   Lord,   art   our   Father," 

chorus,  Elgar's  "The  Kingdom," 

162 
"Thou,   O   Lord,  art  our   Father," 

chorus,  Sullivan's  "The  Prodigal 

Son,"  429 
"Thou  ocean  without  shore,"  solo, 

quartette,  and  chorus,  347 
"Thou  only  hast  the  words  of  life," 

arietta,  155 
"Thou    sendest   forth   Thy   wrath," 

chorus,  202 
"Thou  shall  at  a  glance  behold  the 

daisy  and  the  marigold,"  barytone 

solo,  336 
"Thou  shall  be  with  Me  to-day  in 

Paradise,"  arioso,  10 
"Thou  shall  break  them,"  aria,  216 
"Thou  shall  bring  ihem  in,"  203 
"Thou    shouldst    mark    iniquities," 

cantabile  aria,  133 
"Thou  sweel  Iwilight,  be  welcome," 

love-song,  90 

"Thou  too  art  a  molher,"  aria,  261 
"Thou,  who  once  to  our  sires  ap- 
peared," chorus,  167 
"Though  I  should  die  wilh  Thee," 

339 
"Though  passion  gives  way,"  lenor 

solo,  365 
"Though    thousands    languish    and 

fall,"  317 
"Thousand  active  hands  combining," 

chorus,  366 
"Thousand  hideous  deaths  I'd  make 

him  die,  A,"  358 
"Through  faith  the  soul  has  eagle's 

pinions,"  aria,  n 


Through    me    pass    on  to  horror's 

dwelling-place,"  277 
Through  the  night  rings  the  horn's 

blast  with  power,"  chorus,  361 
Thus  by  almighty  power  of  God," 

chorus,  372 
Thus  departed  Hiawatha,"  chorus, 

164 
Thus  Nature  ever  kind  rewards," 

terzetto  and  chorus,  233 
Thus  passed  the  three  into  ihe  way 

of  peace,"  irio,  129 
Thus   saith   the   Lord,"   bass   solo, 

Mackenzie's     "The      Rose     of 

Sharon,"  288 
Thus    saith    ihe    Lord,"    chorus, 

Mendelssohn's  "Sainl  Paul,"  311 
Thus  when  ihe  sun,"  aria,  211 
Thus  while  she  sang,"  soprano  solo, 

r3! 

Thy  glorious  deeds  inspired  my 
longue,"  bass  bravura  aria,  209 

Thy  rebuke  hath  broken  His  heart," 
recilative,  216 

Thy  righl  hand,  O  Lord,"  chorus, 
202 

Thy  servants  faithful,  tidings  bear- 
ing." 39* 

Time  is  fulfilled,  The,"  chorus,  338 

'Tis  he!  Siddartha,  who  was  lost," 
129 

'T  is  I !  my  sins  betray  me,"  chorale, 

5 

'Tis  I  whose  baneful  spell,"  167 
'T  is   jolly   to   hunt   in   the   bright 

moonlight,"  83 
To  dust  his  glory  they  would  tread," 

chorus,  210 

To  fame  immortal  go,"  chorus,  211 
To    fleeting    pleasures    make   your 

court,"  aria,  210 
"To  God  on  high,"  chorale,  310 
To  him  greatness  arises  from  suffer- 
ing and  anguish;  the  mantle  of 
the  helman  will  fall  upon  him,  and 
all  will  bow  before  him,"  272 
"To   molher   earth   our  work   com- 
mitting," chorus,  366 
"To  our  great  God,"  chorus,  220 


INDEX    PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS     499 


''To  song  and  dance  we  give  the  day," 

chorus,  211 
''To  souls  in  error  bring  I  knowledge," 

recitative,  148 

''To  Thee  all  angels  cry  aloud,"  semi- 
chorus,  in 
'To  Thee,  cherubim  and  seraphim," 

chorus,  222 
'To  Thee,  O  Lord,  I  yield  my  spirit," 

chorale,  310 
'To  thee  the  pleasure  of  the  chase 

belongs,"  recitative,  148 
'To  whom  can  I  turn  me?"  226 
'To  work,"  chorus,  371,  yjz 
'Toggenburg    all    is    in    mourning 

array,"  chorus,  362 
'Torments,  alas!"  209 
'Total  eclipse:  no  sun,  no  moon,  all 

dark  amidst  the  blaze  of  noon," 

aria,  209 
'Tower  whose  lofty  height  was  like 

my  state,  The,"  bass  aria,  372 
'Traitor  to  love,"  duet,  210 
'Traveller  stands  perplexed,  The," 

aria,  234 
'Trees  lift  up  their  branches   bare, 

The,"  281 
'Triglav  who  with  threefold  face," 

147 

'Trumpet  shall  sound,  The,"  aria, 
217 

'Trust  thou  in  God,"  299,  300 

*Tu  pro  nobis  mater  pia,"  hymn, 
262 

'Tu  sine  littore,"  solo,  quartette,  and 
chorus,  347 

'Tuba  minim,"  Berlioz's  "Re- 
quiem," 85 

'Tuba  mirum,"  Mozart's  "Re- 
quiem," 321,  322 

'Tui  nati  vulnerati,"  chorus,  146 

'Tune  your  harps,"  chorus,  219 

'Turn  Thee  unto  me,"  133 

'Turn  you  to  the  stronghold,"  solo, 
quartette  and  chorus,  159 

'Twine  ye  a  garland,"  march  and 
chorus,  17 


U 

'UNDER  the  greenwood  tree,"  ballad, 
223 

'Unfold!  for  lo,  the  King  comes 
nigh!"  chorus,  188 

'Unfold,  ye  portals  everlasting," 
chorus,  188 

'Uns  droht  der  Macht'gen  Hass," 
chorus,  448 

'Unto  mine  end  thy  love  has  led 
me,"  262 

'Up,  up,  O  King,  the  horses  wait," 
solo,  344 

'Uplift  a  song  of  praise,"  chorus,  289 

'Upon  the  quiet  of  the  night,"  chorus, 
289 

'Uprose  Yasodhara  with  joy,"  so- 
prano solo,  128 

'Upspringing,  the  darkened  air 
broke  forth  into  radiant  bright- 
ness," 373 

'Urbs  coelestis,  Urbs  beata,"  sacred 
song,  124 

'Urbs  Syon  aurea,"  tenor  solo,  347 

'Urbs  Syon  inclyta,"  quartette  and 
chorus,  347 

'Urbs  Syon  unica,"  chorus,  347 


"VAINEMENT  tu  pleures,"  chorus,  292 
"Veil  of  the  temple  was  rent  in  twain, 

The,"  chorus,  227 
"Vengeance  belongeth,"  167 
"Vieles  Gewaltige  lebt,"  296 
"  Vielnamiger !  Wonn'  und  Stolz,"  296 
Vineyard  Song,  286 
"Virgin,   who   lovest   the   poor   and 

lowly,"  427 
"Virgo,  virgonum  przclara,"  chorus, 

146 
"Vishnu,  Vishnu,  thou  hast  heard  our 

cry!"  chorus,  284 
"Voice  of  joy  is  in  the  dwelling  of  the 

righteous,  The,"  162 
"Voice  of  the  Lord,  The,"  chorus, 

34° 
Vorspiel,  Wallenstein  symphony,  361 


500 


INDEX    PRINCIPAL    NUMBERS 


'Vouchsafe,  O  Lord,"  bass  solo,  222 
'Vous  qui   fletrissez   les   erreurs   des 
autres,"  aria,  292 

W 

''WATCHMAN!    will   the   night   soon 

pass?"  recitative,  313 
''Watchmen,  what  of  the  night  ?"  135 
*We  are  the  voices  of  the  wandering 

wind,"  127 
"We  come  in  bright  array,"  chorus, 

218 
"We  go  before  the  face  of  the  Lord," 

chorus,  338 
"We  hid  our  faces  from  him,"  chorus, 

339 
''We  never  will  bow  down  to  the  rude 

stock  or  sculptured  stone,"  chorus, 

219 

"We  now  have  passed  the  gate,"  157 
"We  praise  the  men  of  the  days  long 

gone,"  350 
"We  praise  Thee,  O  God,"  chorus, 

221 

"We   surely  here   shall   find   Him," 

chorus,  14 
"We    will    praise    Thee,    O    God," 

chorale,  140 
"We  will    take  the   foies,  the  little 

foxes    that    ravage    the   vines" 

(Vineyard  Song),  286 
"Wealthy  lord  who  long  had  loved, 

A,"  234 

"Weep,  Israel,  weep,"  212 
"Weep  ye  not  for  the   dead,"  alto 

solo,  431 
"Welch  Brausen    erfiillt  die  Luft," 

449 

"Welcome,    blest    season,"    soprano 

recitative  and  romance,  281 
"Welcome,  my  little  daughter,"  solo, 

260 

"Welcome  the  bride,"  chorus,  260 
"Welcome,  welcome,  mighty  king," 

chorus,  205 

"Wends  the  weary  wanderer,"  so- 
prano solo,  366 
"  Wer  da  glaubet  und  getauft  wird,"  10 


"What  God  to  Abraham  revealed,  He 

to  the  Shepherds  doth  accord  to 

see  fulfilled,"  bass  recitative,  3 
"What  have  I  to  do  with  thee?"  315 
"What  have  these  sounds  to  do  with 

bridal  robes  ?"  chorus  and  solo, 

285 
"What     in     the     earth     profoundly 

hidden,"  chorus,  365 
"What    mean    these    Zealots    vile?" 

bass  aria,  77 
"What  see  I  ?  O  heavens !   Unhappy 

me!"  226 

"What  seest  thou,  O  King  ?"  345 
"What  shall  we  do  then  ?"  chorus,  279 
"What  thinks  she  now?"  chorus,  744 
"What   thou    seest   when   thou   dost 

wake,"  302 
"What  went  ye  out  in  the  wilderness 

for  to  see  ?"  chorus,  281 
"What   will    befall    us   in   the   time 

approaching?"  chorus,  148 
"When   our   hearts   are  oppressed," 

chorus,  165 
"When  stern  and  gentle  troth  have 

plighted,"  bass  recitative,  365 
"When  such  music  sweet  their  hearts 

and  ears  did  greet,"  soprano  solo, 

336 
"When  the  health  and  strength  arc 

gone,"  298 
"When  the  Son  of  Man  shall  come  in 

His  glory,"  barytone  solo,  432 
"When    Thou    the    stormy    sea    art 

crossing,"  392 
"When  to  our  waters  the  golden  time 

shall  come,"  267 
"Whence  hath  this  man  his  wisdom  ?" 

chorus,  431 

"Where'er  we  stray,  stern  fate  en- 
thralls us,"  tenor  solo,  166 
"Where  have  they  laid  Him?"  433 
"Where    is    the    maiden    of    mortal 

strain  ?"  130 

"Where  my  father  rests,"  aria,  108 
"Where    sets    the    sun    adown    the 

crimson  west,"  284 
"Wherefore  are  the  nations  raging?" 

chorus,  380 


INDEX    PRINCIPAL   NUMBERS     501 


"Wherefore  is  thy  soul  cast  down  ?" 

duet,  133 
"Which  once  to  Abraham,"  chorus, 

191 
"While   my   watch  I   am  keeping," 

chorale,  186 
"While  the  town  rang  with  music," 

chorus,  128 
"While  the  wicked  are  confounded," 

chorus,  191 
"While  yet  the  distant  echoes  roll," 

tenor  recitative,  131 
"While  yet  thy  tide  of  blood  runs 

high,"  hymn,  205 

"Whither  away,  my  heart  ?"  aria,  137 
"Who  belicveth  and  obeyeth  will  be 

blest  forever,"  chorus,  10 
"Who  did  sin  ?"  chorus,  154 
"Who  hath   seen  the  troubadour?" 

quartette,  411 
"Who  is  like  unto  Thee,  O  Lord," 

chorus,  203 
"Who  is  the  image  of  the  invisible 

God,"  chorus,  81 
"Whole  earth  is  at  rest,  The,"  chorus, 

43 ' 
"Whoso  believeth  and  is  baptised," 

10 

"Whosoever  drinketh,"  bass  solo,  81 
"Why  do  the  nations,"  bass  aria,  216 
"Why  does  the  God  of  Israel  sleep  ?" 

aria,  209 
"Why  dost  thou  wait  at  the  door  of 

thy  lover  ?"  serenade,  90 
"Why  hast  Thou,  O  my  God,  in  my 

sore  need  so  turned  Thy  face  from 

me  ?"  recitative  and  aria,  8 
"Why  hear  ye  Him?"  chorus,  431 
"Why,  my  soul,  art  thou  cast  down  ?" 

299 
"Why,  my  soul,  art  thou  vexed?" 

chorus,  8 
"Why  seek  ye  the  living  among  the 

dead  ?"  Elgar's  "The  Apostles," 

'59 

"Why  seek  ye  the  living  among  the 
dead  ?"  aria,  Gounod's  "The  Re- 
demption," 187 

"Why  sound  the  horns  so  gayly  ?"  393 


"Wie  fchon  lencht  uns  der  Morgen- 

stern,"  chorale,  10 
"Wildest    conflicts    rage    within    my 

fevered  soul,  The,"  recitative  and 

ballad,  359 
"William  of  Nassau,"  troopers'  song, 

363 
"Wind  upon  our  quarter  lies,  The," 

male  chorus,  124 
"Winter  has  departed,  Spring  is  here, 

The,"  88 
"  Wir  sind  versammelt  im  Namen  Jcsu 

Christi,"  448 
"With   a   laugh   as   we   go   round," 

chorus,  82 
"With  grief  my  spirit  wrestles,"  solo, 

261 
"With  His  stripes  we  are  healed," 

chorus,  215 
"With  honor  let  desert  be  crowned," 

aria,  220 

"With   joy  the   impatient  husband- 
man," aria,  232 
"With   plaintive  notes   and   am'rous 

moan,  thus   coos  the  turtle  left 

alone,"  aria,  210 
"With  rage  I  shall  burst,  his  praises 

to  hear,"  aria,  205 
"With  the  carol  in  the  tree,"  soprano 

solo,  83 
"With  the  faithful  deign  to  place  us," 

tenor  solo,  191 
"With    the    lark    sweetly    (tinging," 

chorus,  268 

"With  thunder  armed,"  chorus,  211 
"With  turtle  wing  the  amorous  clouds 

dividing,"  chorus,  335 
"With  verdure  clad,"  aria,  229 
"Within     the     bower     of     inmost 

splendor,"  soprano  solo,  128 
"Within    what    gloomy    depths    of 

forest,"  recitative,  148 
"Within  yon   gloomy  manger  lies," 

chorale,  3 
"Woe!     for    false    flew   the    shaft," 

double  chorus,  396 
"Woe!   he  tugs  with  all  his  might  at 

the  ring,"  chorus,  109 
"Woe!  O  wicked  deed,"  108 


502 


INDEX    PRINCIPAL    NUMBERS 


"Woe !  see  the  storm-clouds,"  chorus, 

45 ' 

"Woe  to  him!"  chorus,  318 
"Woe  to  the  shepherds  of  the  flock," 

solo  and  chorus,  155 
"Woe  to  thee,  Prometheus,"  chorus, 

268 
"Woe    unto    them!"     alto     arioso, 

Mendelssohn's  "Elijah,"  316 
"Woe  unto  them !"  alto  recitative  and 

chorus,  Sullivan's  "The  Prodigal 

Son,"  428 
"Woe    unto    us,    we    are    spoiled!" 

chorus,  135 
"Woe!   woe!   the  sacred  sleep  of  the 

dead  has  been  disturbed,"  chorus, 

268 

"Woman  out  of  Galilee,  A,"  290 
"Word  is  flesh  become,  The,"  hymn, 

189 
"Word  that  now  we  see  fulfilled,  The," 

chorale,  289 

"Worthy  is  the  Lamb,"  chorus,  217 
"Wreathe  into  garlands  the  gold  of 

the  harvest,"  quartette  and  chorus, 

451 

"Wreathe  ye  the  steps  to  great  Allah's 

throne,"  chorus,  397 
"Wretch  that  I  am!"  recitative,  207 
"Wretched  lovers."  chorus,  195 
"Wroth  waxed  the  warrior,"  131 


'Yt  Christian  people,  now  rejoice," 

chorale  for  sopranos,  80 
'Ye  daughters  of  Israel,  weep  not  for 

me,"  1 86 

*Ye  gay  and  painted  fair,"  duet,  233 
'Ye  lightnings,  ye  thunders !"  chorus, 

6 
'Ye  men  of  Judaea,"  Elgar's  "The 

Kingdom,"  161 
'Ye  men  of  Judaea,"  solo,  Paine's 

"Saint  Peter,"  340 


"Ye  men  of  Spain,  the  time  is  nigh," 
barytone  solo,  125 

"Ye  mortals,  hear,  all  ye  who  would 
behold  the  face  of  God,"  recita- 
tive, 10 

"Ye  nations,  offer  to  the  Lord," 
fugued  chorus,  314 

"Ye  now  are  sorrowful,  grieve  not," 
soprano  solo  and  chorus,  97 

"Ye  sons  of  Israel,  now  lament,"  aria, 
212 

"Ye  verdant  plains  and  woody  moun- 
tains," recitative,  194 

"Ye  who  dwell  in  Thebes  our  city, 
fix  on  CEdipus  your  eyes,"  335 

"Yea,  come,  Lord  Jesus,"  10 

"Yea,  though  I  walk,"  quartette,  433 

"Yet  doth  the  Lord  see  it  not,"  chorus, 

315 
"  Yet  none  may  with  Fate  supernal," 

female  chorus,  366 
''Yet  not  alone  of  labor  comes  our 

plenty,"  soprano  recitative    and 

aria,  451 
''Yonder   beckons   the   wood-crested 

harbor,"  chorus,  113 
''You    spotted    snakes,   with    double 

tongue,"     soprano     duet      with 

chorus,  302 
'Your  charms  to  ruin  led  the  way," 

aria,  210 
'Your     thankful     songs     upraise," 

chorus,  451 

'Youth,  girl-playmates  proudly  leav- 
ing, The,"  tenor  solo,  365 
'Youth    inspired    by    Thee,    The," 

chorus,  204 


is  captive  yet,"  bass  solo,  346 
'Zion  now  her  head  shall  raise,"  219 
'Zitti,  Zitti,"  232 


The  University  Press,  Cambridge,  U.  S.  A. 


OTHER   WORKS   BY 
GEORGE  P.  UPTON 


OTHER   WORKS   BY   GEORGE   P.   UPTON 


Uniform  \vith  "  The  Standard  Concert  Guide  " 

The  Standard  Operas 

Neva  Revised  Illustrated  Edition 


Nearly  one  hundred  and  forty  operas  are  described  in  this 
splendid  new  edition  of  Mr.  Upton's  Handbook.  It  is  now  in 
every  respect  the  most  complete,  the  most  detailed,  and  the 
most  interesting  of  all  opera  guides.  In  every  case  a  careful 
resumd  of  the  plot  is  given,  with  discriminating  comments  on 
the  music,  and  a  description  of  each  number.  Nearly  one 
hundred  pictures  from  photographs  of  famous  singers  are  so 
placed  as  actually  to  illustrate  the  text,  not  merely  to  provide 
a  gallery  of  celebrities.  Twenty-six  composers  are  represented. 
Finally,  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  speak  at  length  of  the  author's 
qualifications  as  a  writer  on  music,  for  his  reputation  has  been 
established  by  a  large  number  of  standard  and  popular  works. 

Over  half  the  operas  in  this  edition  do  not  appear  in  the 
earlier  forms.  Among  these  might  be  mentioned  Gounod's 
"  Philemon  and  Baucis,"  HaleVy's  "  L'  Eclair,"  Marschner's 
"Hans  Heiling,"  Mascagni's  "Iris"  and  "  L'  Ami  Fritz," 
Masses  "  Paul  et  Virginie,"  Massenet's  "  Le  Roi  de  Lahore," 
"Manon,"  and  "Esclarmonde,"  Puccini's  "La  Boheme,"  Reyer's 
"  Sigurd,"  Rubinstein's  "  Nero,"  Saint-Saens's  "  Samson  and 
Delila,"  Richard  Strauss's  "Feuersnot,"  Tschaikowsky's  "Eugen 
One'gin,"  and  Siegfried  Wagner's  "  Der  Barenhauter." 

"It  is  undoubtedly  the  most  complete  and  intelligent  exposi- 
tion of  this  subject  that  has  ever  been  attempted."  —  St.  Louis 
Republic. 

"  The  summaries  of  the  plots  are  so  clear,  logical,  and  well 
written  that  one  can  read  them  with  real  pleasure,  which  cannot 
be  said  of  the  ordinary  operatic  synopses."  —  The  Nation,  New 
York. 

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which,  though  published  for  a  number  of  years,  continue  to  enjoy  their  old  popularity 
as  musical  reference  works  on  their  respective  subjects. 

THE  STANDARD  OPERAS 

Tbelr  Plots,  their  Music,  and  their  Composers 

In  this  book  it  is  the  intention  to  present  to  the  reader  a  brief  but  comprehensive 
sketch  of  the  operas  contained  in  the  modern  repertoire  that  are  likely  to  be  given 
during  the  regular  seasons.  In  each  case  the  author  has  given  a  brief  sketch  of  the 
composer's  life,  the  story  of  each  opera,  the  general  character  of  the  music,  and  its 
prominent  scenes  and  numbers  —  the  latter  in  the  text  most  familiar  to  concert-goers. 

THE  STANDARD  LIGHT  OPERAS 

Their  Plots  and  their  Music 

The  present  volume  is  a  comprehensive  and  exceedingly  useful  little  book,  whose 
character  and  scope  are  exactly  indicated  by  the  title.  Over  seventy  musical  comedies 
and  operas  are  included,  representative  of  Auber,  Sullivan,  Planquette,  DeKoven, 
Offenbach,  Suppe,  etc. 

THE  STANDARD   ORATORIOS 

Their  Stories,  their  Music,  and  their  Composers 

The  same  method  of  description  which  has  proved  so  successful  in  the  previous 
works  has  been  employed  to  present  a  comprehensive  sketch  of  the  oratorios  which 
may  be  called  "standard." 

THE  STANDARD  CANTATAS 

Their  History,  their  Music,  and  their  Composers 

In  his  introduction  Mr.  Upton  says:  "The  word  'Cantata'  is  so  flexible  and 
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upon  the  compositions  that  properly  belong  in  this  volume.  It  is  believed,  however, 
that  the  most  important  of  the  modern  cantatas  have  been  included." 

THE  STANDARD  SYMPHONIES 

Their  History,  their  Music,  and  their  Composers 

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1850 — 1900 

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Theodore  Thomas 

A  Musical  Autobiography ,  edited  by  George  P.  Upton 

Volume  I,  Life  Work 
Volume  II,  Concert  Programmes 

In  a  prefatory  note  the  editor  says:  "  The  sudden  death  of 
Mr.  Thomas,  which  occurred  January  4,  1905,  would  have 
necessitated,  from  a  strict  biographical  point  of  view,  some 
changes  in  the  manuscript  which  he  furnished,  and  which  he 
took  such  pleasure  in  writing  last  summer  at  Felsengarten,  his 
New  Hampshire  summer  home.  I  have  preferred,  however,  to 
leave  his  preface  and  autobiography  as  he  wrote  them,  feeling 
certain  that  if  any  incongruities  appear,  this  explanation  will 
account  for  them.  Not  having  all  his  references  with  him, 
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MUSICAL  PASTELS 

ESSAYS  ON  QUAINT  AND  CURIOUS 
MUSICAL  SUBJECTS 

The  titles  are:  Nero,  the  Artist  —  The  Musical  Small-coals 
Man  —  Music  and  Religion  —  The  First  American  Composer — 
The  Beggar's  Opera  —  The  First  Opera  —  Some  Musical  Con- 
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Nightingale  —  The  Man  Beethoven. 

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WOMAN  IN  MUSIC 


In  a  series  of  comparatively  brief  chapters  Mr.  Upton  has 
given  a  kind  of  interior  history  of  the  domestic  and  heart  rela- 
tions of  such  composers  as  Bach,  Handel,  Beethoven,  Mozart, 
Schumann,  Chopin,  and  Wagner. 

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EDOUARD  REMENYI 

Musician,  Litterateur,  and  Man 

In  collaboration  with  GWENDOLYN  KELLEY 

With  sketches  of  his  life  and  artistic  career,  by  friends  and  contemporaries 
to  which  are  added  critical  reviews  of  his  playing  and  selections  from  his 
literary  papers  and  correspondence. 

The  book  is  arranged  in  four  parts.  The  first  comprises  the  bit  graphical 
matter  by  the  editors  and  others;  the  second  consists  chiefly  of  anecdotes; 
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interesting  to  those  who  are  interested  in  his  personality,  which  was  efier- 
vescent,  kindly,  and  generous." 

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LIFE  STORIES  FOR 
YOUNG  PEOPLE 

Translated  from  the  German  by  GEORGE  P.  UPTON 

Four    delightful    musical    biographies    are    Included    In    this    series: 

BEETHOVEN,   JOHANN   SEBASTIAN    BACH 

MOZART,  and   JOSEPH    HAYDN 

A  new  and  interesting  set  of  biographical  romances  whose  simple  and 
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